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THE GRAND CHACO 



Frontispiece. 


Joe swept from the boat , p. 2 14. 


THE GRAND CHACO 


BY 



GEORGE MANV1LLE FENN 

AUTHOR OF 


“ THE WEATHERCOCK,” “ THE DINGO BOYS,” “ IN THE WILDS OF NEW 

MEXICO,” ETC. 


C v ^opyri 

OCT 19 1892 
WSHHtqi SS^ 

NEW YORK 

UNITED STATES BOOK COMPANY. 

5 and 7 East Sixteenth Street 



Chicago : 266 & 268 Wabash Ave. 


Copyright. 1892, 

BY 

UNITED STATES BOOK COMPANY 


[Ait rights reserved ] 



CHAPTER I. 

SHADRACK NAYLOR. 

“ Don’t they bite, sir ? ” 

“ Bite ? ” 

Smick ! smack ! flap ! 

“ Oh, murder ! ” 

“ What’s the matter, sir ? ” 

“ My hand.” 

“ Hurt it, sir?” 

“ I should think I have.” 

“ You should wait till they’ve sucked ’emselves full and 
then hit ’em ; they’re lazy then. Too quick for you now.” 

“ The wretches ! I shall be spotted all over, like a currant 
dumpling. I say, Shaddy, do they always bite like this ? ” 

“ Well, yes, sir,” said the man addressed, about as ugly a 
specimen of humanity as could be met in a day’s march, for 
he had only one eye, and beneath that a peculiar, puckered 
scar extending down to the corner of his mouth, shaggy 
short hair, neither black nor gray — a kind of pepper-and-salt 
co l or — yellow teeth in a very large mouth, and a skin so dark 


6 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


and hairy that he looked like some kind of savage dressed 
in a pair of canvas trousers and a shirt that had once been 
scarlet, but was now stained, faded, and rubbed into a neu- 
tral grub or warm earthy tint. He wore no braces, but a 
kind of belt of what seemed to be snake or lizard skin 
fastened with either a silver or pewter buckle. Add to this 
the fact that his feet were bare, his sleeves rolled up over 
his mahogany-colored arms, and that his shirt was open at 
the throat, showing his full neck and hairy chest ; add also 
that he was about five feet nine, very broad-shouldered and 
muscular, and you have Shadrach Naylor, about the last per- 
son any one would take to be an Englishman or select for a 
companion on a trip up one of the grandest rivers of South 
America. 

But there he was that hot, sunny day standing up in the 
stern of the broad, lightly built boat which swung by a 
long rope some fifty feet behind a large schooner of shallow 
draught, but of lofty rig, so that her tremendous tapering 
masts might carry their sails high above the trees which 
formed a verdant wall on each side of the great river, and 
so catch the breeze when all below was sheltered and 
calm. 

The schooner was not anchored, but fast aground upon 
one of the shifting sand-banks that made navigation difficult, 
where she was likely to lie until the water rose, or a fresh 
cool wind blew from the south and roughened the dull sil- 
very gleaming surface into waves where she could roll and 
rock and work a channel for herself through the sand, and 
sail onward, tugging the boat which swung behind. 

It was hot, blistering hot ! and all was very still save for 
the rippling murmur of the flowing river and the faint buzz 
of the insect plagues which had come hunting from the west- 
ern shore, a couple of hundred yards away, while the eastern 
was fully two miles off, and the voices of the man and the 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


7 

boy he addressed sounded strange in the vast solitudes 
through which the mighty river ran. 

Not that these two were alone, for there were five more 
occupants of the boat, one a white man — from his dress — a 
leg being visible beneath a kind of awning formed of canvas, 
the other four, Indians or half-breeds from the absence of 
clothing and the color of their skins as they lay forward in 
the boat fast asleep as the occupant of the covered-in por- 
tion of the boat. 

The great schooner was broad and Dutch-like in its capa- 
cious beam, and manned by a fair-sized crew, but not a soul 
was visible, for it was early in the afternoon ; the vessel was 
immovable, and all on board were fast asleep. 

Shadrach Naylor, too, had been having his nap, with his 
pipe in his mouth, but it had fallen out with a rap in the 
bottom of the boat, and this had awakened him with a start 
to pick it up, for he valued that pipe highly as one of his 
very few possessions — a value not visible to any one else, 
for intrinsically, if it had been less black and not quite so 
much chipped, it might have been worth a farthing English 
current coin of the realm. 

So Shadrach Naylor, familiarly known as “Shaddy,” 
opened his one eye so as to find his pipe, picked it up, and 
was in the act of replacing it in his mouth prior to closing 
his eye again, when the sharp, piercing, dark orb rested upon 
Rob Harlow, seated in the stern, roasting in the sun, and 
holding a line that trailed away overboard into the deep 
water behind the sand-bank. 

Perhaps it was from being so ugly a man and knowing it 
that Shaddy had a great liking for Rob Harlow, who was an 
English lad, sun-browned, brown-haired, well-built, fairly 
athletic, at most sixteen, very good-looking, and perfectly 
ignorant of the fact. 

So Shaddy rose from forward, and, with his toes spreading 


8 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


out like an Indian’s, stepped from thwart to thwart till he 
was alongside of Rob, of whom he asked the question re- 
specting the biting, his inquiry relating to the fish, while 
Bob’s reply applied to the insects which worried him in their 
search for juicy portions of his skin. 

But they were not allowed to feed in peace, for Rob 
smacked and slapped sharply, viciously, but vainly, doing 
far more injury to himself than to the gnat-like flies, so, to 
repeat his words, 

“ I say, Shaddy, do they always bite like this ? ” 

“ Well, yes, sir,” said Shaddy, “ mostlings. It’s one down 
and t’other come on with them. It’s these here in the 
morning, and when they’ve done the sand-flies take their 
turn till sun goes down, and then out comes the skeeters to 
make a night of it.” 

“ Ugh ! ” ejaculated Rob, giving himself a vicious rub. 
“ I’m beginning to wish I hadn’t come. It’s horrible.” 

“ Not it, youngster. You’ll soon get used to ’em. I don’t 
mind; they don’t hurt me. Wait a bit, and, pretty little 
creeturs, you’ll like it.” 

“ What ! Like being bitten ? ” 

“ To be sure, sir. ’Livens you up a bit in this hot sleepy 
country ; does your skin good ; stimmylates, like, same as a 
rub with a good rough towel at home.” 

Rob gave vent to a surly grunt and jerked his line. 

“ I don’t believe there are any fish here,” he said. 

“ No fish! Ah ! that’s what we boys used to say o’ half- 
holidays when we took our tackle to Clapham Common to 
fish the ponds there. We always used to say there was no 
fish beside the tiddlers, and them you could pull out as fast 
as you liked with a bit o’ worm without a hook, but there 
was fish there then — big perch and whacking carp, and now 
and then one of us used to get hold of a good one, and then 
we used to sing quite another song. — I say, sir ! ” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


9 


“Well?” 

“ This here’s rather different to Clapham Common, isn’t 
it?” 

“ Yes,” said Rob, “ but it isn’t what I expected.” 

“ What did you ’spect, then ? Ain’t the river big enough 
for you ? ” 

“ Oh ! it’s big enough,” said the lad, snatching his line in. 
“ Didn’t seem like a river down behind there.” 

“ Right, my lad ; like being at sea, ain’t it ? ” 

“ Yes, and it’s all so flat where you can see the shore. 
An ashy, dusty, dreary place, either too hot or too cold ! 
Why, I wouldn’t live at Monte Video or Buenos Ayres for 
all the money in the world.” 

“And right you’d be, my lad,” says Shadrach Naylor. 
“ Ah ! Why, look at that ! Fish is fish all the world over. 
You don’t expect they’ll bite at a bare hook, do you ? ” 

“ Bother the bait ! it’s off again,” said Rob, who had just 
pulled in the line. “ It always seems to come off.” 

“ Not it, lad. There, I’ll put a bit o’ meat on for you. It’s 
them little beggars nibbles it off. — There you are ; that’s 
a good bait. Perhaps you may get a bite this time. Fishes 
is fishes all the world over, and they’re the most onaccount- 
able things there is. One day they’re savage after food ; next 
day you may hold a bait close to their noses, and they won’t 
look at it. But you’re hot and tired, my lad. Why don’t 
you do as others do, take to your sister ? ” 

“ My sister ! ” cried Rob, staring. “ I haven’t got one.” 

“ I didn’t say sister,” said Shaddy, showing his yellow 
teeth ; “ I said sister — nap.” 

“I know you did,” grumbled Rob; “why don’t you say 
siesta ? ” 

“ ’Cause I don’t care about making mouthfuls of small 
words, my lad.” 

Splash / went the freshly thrown-in bait. 


IO 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ I don’t like sleeping in the middle of the day,” said Rob 
as he took a fresh hold of his line. 

“ Wait a bit, my lad, and you’ll like getting a snooze on 
there when you can get a chance. And so you’re a bit disap- 
pynted in the country, are you ? ” 

“ Yes, but it’s been getting better the last few days.” 

“ Yes,” said Shaddy, “ ever so much ; and as soon as you 
get used to it you’ll say it’s the beautifullest place in the 
world.” 

Rob turned to him quickly, his irritation passing away. 

“ Yes, it is getting beautiful,” he said ; “ the trees all along 
that side are very grand.” 

“ Ah,” said Shaddy, replacing the great sheath-knife with 
which he had been cutting up his tobacco in his belt, “ and 
it’s bigger and wider when we get higher up. I don’t won- 
der at their calling it the Grand Chaco.” 

“ The trees are wonderful,” said Rob softly as he gazed at 
the great wall of verdure. 

“ And it’s wonderf uller inside as you go on and up the little 
rivers or creeks. Just you wait a bit, my lad, and you’ll see. 
I can show you things as ’ll open your eyes. You won’t think 
the place dull.” 

“ I suppose we are getting up towards quite the middle of 
South America, aren’t we ? ” 

“ Getting that way, my lad, but not yet, Wasn’t that a 
bite?” 

“No,” replied Bob, confidently. “I say. Shaddy, are 
there really any good fish in this river ? Isn’t it to o 
big?” 

“ Wants a big river to hold big fish in, millions of ’em, 
big as you are. Wait, and you’ll see.” 

“ But one gets so tired of waiting.” 

“ But we has to wait all the same, and how those ’Talians 
get up an down as they do is always a wonder to me. I sup- 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


II 


pose they like waiting, and having their snoozes in the hot 
sun. ’Tis their nature, too. Naples is hot enough, but not 
like this.” 

“ Have you been to Italy ? ” 

“ ’Ain’t many places I haven’t been to, my lad.” 

“ But you’ve been here a long time.” 

“ Nigh upon twenty year up and down ; and when I go to 
a place I like to forage and ferret about, being fond of a bit 
o’ sport. That’s how it is I know so much of the country up 



here. Couldn’t help laming it. No credit to a man 
then.” 

“ What are you looking at ? ” said Rob, 

“ Nothing, but looking out for squalls.” 

“ Change of weather ? ” 

“ Nay, not yet. I meant Indian squalls. I didn’t know 
as there were to be no watch kept, or I wouldn’t have slept. 
It ain’t safe, my lad, to go to sleep close to the shore this 
side.” 

“ Why ! Wild beasts ? ” 

“ Nay, wild Indians, as hates the whites, and would come 


12 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


out from under the trees in their canoes and attack us if they 
knowed we were here. I told the skipper so, but he’s like 
them ’Talians: knows everything himself, so that he as good 
as told me to mind my own business, and so I did. But this 
side of the river’s all savage and wild, my lad. The people 
had rough hard times with the old Spaniards, so that every 
white man’s a Spaniard to them, and if they get a chance it’s 
spear or club.” 

Rob looked rather nervously along the interlacing trees 
hung with the loveliest of vine and creeper, and then 
jerked his line. 

“ Ah, it’s all right enough, sir, if you keep your eyes open. 
I can’t, you see, — only one.” 

“ How did you lose your eye, Shaddy ? ” 

“ Tiger,” said the man, shortly. 

“ There are no tigers here,” said Rob. “ They are in 
India.” 

“ I know that. Striped ones there are, and bigger than 
these here. I’ve known ’em swim off from Johore across to 
Sinnapore — though they’re big cats — and then lie in wait for 
the poor Chinese coolie chaps and carry ’em off. They call 
these big spotted chaps tigers, though, out here ; but they’re 
jaggers : that’s what they are. Call ’em painters up in 
Texas and Arizona and them parts north. Jaggered my eye 
out, anyhow.” 

“ How was it ? ” 

“ I was shooting, and after lying in wait for one of the 
beggars for nights, I saw my gentleman — coming after a 
calf he was — and I shot him. ‘Dead!’ I says, for. he 
just gave one snarly cry, turned over on his back, clawed 
about a bit, and then lay down on his side, and I went up 
knife in hand, meaning to have his spotted skin.” 

Shaddy stopped and laid his hand over the scar and empty 
eye cavity, as if they throbbed still. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


13 


“ Well ? ” cried Rob eagerly. 

“ No ; it wasn’t well, my lad. All the worst’s coming. 
He wasn’t dead a bit, and before I knew where I was, he 
sent my rifle flying, and he had me. It was one leap and a 
wipe down the face with his right paw, and then his jaws 
were fixed in my right shoulder, and down I went on my back. 
If I hadn’t twisted a bit he’d have torn me with his hind 
claws same as a cat does a great rat, and then I shouldn’t 
have been here to be your guide. As it was, he kicked and 
tore up the earth, and then he left go of my shoulder and 
turned over on his side, and died in real earnest.” 

“ The bullet had taken effect ? ” 

“ Nay, my lad ; it was my knife. I thought it was my turn 
again, and, as I had it in my hand, I felt for his heart, and 
found it.” 

“ How horrible ! ” 

“ Yes, it was, my lad, very ; but I won that game. I didn’t 
get the skin money, for I didn’t care for it then. I couldn’t 
see very well. Why, I was quite blind for a month after, and 
then all the strength of two eyes seemed to go into this one. 
Painters they call ’em nor’ard, as I said ; and he painted me 
prettily, didn’t he, right down this cheek ? Never saw a girl 
who thought me handsome enough to want to marry 
me.”' 

Shaddy laughed. 

“ What is it ? ” said Rob. 

“ I was thinking about Mr. Brazier yonder when I came to 
you at Buenos Ayres.” 

“ What, when he was waiting for the guide Captain Ossolo 
said he could recommend ? ” 

Shaddy nodded. 

“ He looked quite scared at me. Most people do ; and 
the captain had quite a job to persuade him that I should be 
the very man.” 


u 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ Yes, and it was not till the captain said he would not get 
one half so good that he engaged you.” 

“ That’s so, my lad. But I am a rum ’un, ain’t I ? ” 

“ You’re not nice-looking, Shaddy,” said Rob, gazing at 
him thoughtfully ; “but I never notice it now, and— well, yes, 
you are always very kind to me. I like you,” added the boy 
frankly. 

Shaddy’s one eye flashed, and he did not look half so fero- 
cious. 

“ Thank ye, my lad,” he cried stretching out his great hand. 
“ Would you mind laying your fist in there and saying that 
again ? ” 

Rob laughed, looked full in the man’s eye, and laid his 
hand in the broad palm, but wished the next moment that he 
had not, for the fingers closed over his with a tremendous 
grip. 

“ I say, you hurt ! ” he cried. 

“ Ay, I suppose so,” said Shaddy, loosing his grip a little. 
“ I forgot that. Never mind. It was meant honest, and Mr. 
Brazier shan’t repent bringing me.” 

“ I don’t think he does now,” said Rob. “ He told me 
yesterday that you were a staunch sort of fellow.” 

“ Ah ! thank ye,” said Shaddy, smiling more broadly ; and 
his ruffianly, piratical look was superseded by a frank aspect 
which transformed him. “ You see, Mr. Harlow, I’m a sort 
of a cocoa-nutty fellow, all shaggy husk outside. You find 
that pretty tough till you get through it, and then you ain’t 
done, for there’s the shell, and that’s hard enough to make 
you chuck me away, but if you persevere with me, why, there 
inside that shell is something that ain’t peach, nor orange, 
nor soft banana, but not such very bad stuff after all.” 

“ I should think it isn’t,” cried Rob. “ I say, it would 
make some of our boys at home stare who only know cocoa- 
nut all hard and woody, and the milk sickly enough to throw 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


!5 

away, if they could have one of the delicious creamy nuts that 
we get here.” 

“ Yes, my lad, they’re not bad when you’re thirsty, nor the 
oranges either.” 

“ Delicious ! ” cried Rob. 

“ Ay. I’ve lived for weeks at a time on nothing but oranges 
and cocoanuts, and a bit of fish caught just now and then 
with my hands, when I’ve been exploring like and hunting 
for gold.” 

“ For gold ? Is there gold about here ?” 

“ Lots, my lad, washed down the rivers. I’ve often found 
it.” 

“ Then you ought to be rich.” 

The man chuckled. 

“ Gold sounds fine, sir, but it’s a great cheat. My ’speri- 
ence of gold has always been that it takes two pounds’ worth 
of trouble to get one pound’s worth o’ metal. So that don’t 
pay. Seems to me from what I hear that it’s the same next 
door with dymons.” 

“ Next door ? ” 

“ Well, up yonder in Brazil. I should say your Mr. Brazier 
will do better collecting vegetables, if so be he can find 
any one to buy ’em afterwards. What do you call ’em — or- 
kards ? 

“ Orchids,” said Rob. 

“ But who’s going to buy ’em ? ” 

“ Oh, I don’t know,” said Rob, laughing. “ There are 
plenty of people glad to get them in England for their hot- 
houses. Besides, there are the botanists always very eager 
to see any new kinds.” 

“ Better try and get some new kinds o’ birds. There’s lots 
here with colors that make your eyes ache. They’d be bet- 
ter than vegetables. Why, right up north — I’ve never seen 
any down here — there’s little humpy birds a bit bigger than 


i6 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


a cuckoo, with tails a yard long and breasts ever so much rud- 
dier than robins’, and all the rest of a green that shines as 
if the feathers were made of copper and gold mixed.” 

“ Mr. Brazier hasn’t come after birds.” 

“ Well then, look here ; I can put him up to a better way 
of making money. What do you say to getting lots of things 
to send to the ’Logical Garden ? Lions and tigers and 
monkeys — my word, there are some rum little beggars of 
monkeys out here.” 

“ No lions in America, Shaddy.” 

“ Oh, ain’t there, my lad ? I’ll show you plenty, leastwise 
what we calls lions here. I’ll tell you what — snakes and ser- 
pents. They’d give no end for one of our big water snakes. 
My word, there are some whackers up these rivers.” 

“ How big ? ” said Rob, hiding a smile — “ two hundred 
feet long ? ” 

“ Gammon ! ” growled Shaddy ; “ I ain’t one of your 
romancing sort. Truth’s big enough for me. So’s the 
snakes I’ve seen. I’ve had a skin of one fellow six-and- 
twetny foot long, and as opened out nearly nine foot laid 
flat. I dessay it stretched a bit in the skinning, but it shrunk 
a bit in the drying, so that was about its size, and I’ve seen 
more than one that must have been longer, though it’s hard 
to measure a twisting, twirling thing with your eye when it’s 
worming its way through mud and water and long grass.” 

“Water snakes, eh ? ” said Rob, who was beginning to 
be impressed by the man’s truth. 

“ Ay, water snakes. They’re anti-bilious sort of things, as 
some folks calls ’em— can’t live out of the water and dies 
in.” 

He laughed merrily as he said this. 

“ That’s true enough, my lad, for they wants both land 
and water. I’ve seen ’em crawl into a pool and curl them- 
selves up quite comfortable at the bottom and lie for hours 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


*7 

together. You could see ’em with the water clear as crys- 
chial. Other times they seem to like to be in the sun. But 
wait a bit, and I’ll show ’em to you. Ugly beggars, but they’re 
not so very dangerous after all. Always seem as scared of 

me as I was of hist ! don’t move. Just cast your eye round 

a bit to starboard and look along the shore.” 

Rob turned his eye quickly, and saw a couple of almost 
naked Indians standing on an open patch beneath the trees, 
each holding a long, thin lance in his hand. They were 
watching the water beneath the bank very attentively, as if 
in search of something just where quite a field of lilies cov- 
ered the river, leaving only a narrow band clear, close to the 
bank. 

“ Don’t take no notice of ’em,” said Shaddy ; “ they’re 
going fishing.” 

“ Wish them better luck than I’ve had,” said Rob. “ Fish- 
ing ! Those are their rods, then ; I thought they were 
spears.” 

“ So they are, my lad,” whispered Shaddy. “ They’re off. 
No fish there.” ' 

As he spoke the two living-bronze figures disappeared 
among the trees as silently as they had come. 

“ Of course there are no fish,” said Rob wearily as he 
drew in his baitless line, the strong gimp hook being quite 
bare. “ Hullo, here comes Joe ! ” 


2 


i8 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


CHAPTER II. 

THE DORADO. 

For at that minute a slight sound from the schooner made 
him cast his eyes in that direction and see a lithe-looking 
lad of about his own age sliding down a rope into a little 
boat alongside, and then, casting off the painter, the boat 
drifted with the current to that in which Rob was seated. 

“ Had your nap ? ” said Rob. 

“ Yes,” replied the lad in good English, but with a slight 
Italian accent, as he fastened the little dingey and stepped 
on board. “ How many have you caught ? ” 

Rob winced, and Shaddy chuckled, while Giovanni Ossolo, 
son of the captain of the Italian river schooner Tessa, looked 
sharply from one to the other, as if annoyed that the rough 
fellow should laugh at him. 

“ Shall I show him all you’ve caught, sir ? ” said Shaddy. 

“ Haven’t had a touch, Joe,” said Rob, an intimacy of a 
month on the river having shortened the other’s florid Italian 
name as above. 

The Italian lad showed his teeth. 

“ You don’t know how to fish,” he said. 

“ You’d better try yourself,” said Rob. “You people talk 
about the fish in the Parana, but I’ve seen more alligators 
than sprats.” 

“ Shall I catch one ?” said the newcomer. 

“ Yes ; let’s see you.” 

The lad nodded and showed his white teeth. 

“ Give me an orange,” he said. 


THE GRAND CHACO . 


J 9 

Rob rose and stepped softly to the awning, thrust his hand 
into a basket beneath the shelter, and took out three, return- 
ing to give one to the young Italian and one to Shaddy, re- 
serving the last for himself and beginning to peel it at once. 

Giovanni, alias Joe — who had passed nearly the whole of 
his life on his father’s schooner, which formed one of the lit- 
tle fleet of Italian vessels trading between Monte Video and 
Assuncion, the traffic being largely carried on by the Italian 
colony settled in the neighborhood of the former city — took 
his orange, peeled it cleverly with his thin brown fingers, 
tossed the skin overboard for it to be nosed about directly 
by a shoal of tiny fish, and then pulled it in half, picked 
up the gimp hook and shook his head, laid the hook back on 
the thwart, and pulled the orange apart once more, leaving 
two carpels, one side of which he skinned so as to bare the 
juicy pulp. 

“ The hook is too small,” said the boy, quietly. 

“ Why, it’s a jack hook such as we catch big pike with at 
home. But you’re not going to bait with that ? ” 

“ Yes,” said the lad, carefully thrusting the hook through 
the orange after passing it in by a piece of the skin which, for 
the first time, Rob saw he had left. 

“ I never heard of a bait like that.” 

“ Oh, I dunno, my lad,” said Shaddy. “ I’ve caught carp 
with green peas and gooseberries at home.” 

“ Orange is the best bait for a dorado,” said the Italian 
softly, as he placed the point of the hook to his satisfaction. 

“ Dorado ? That ought to be Spanish for a golden carp,” 
said Rob. 

“ That’s it. You’ve about hit it, my lad,” cried Shaddy, 
“ for these here are as much like the gold fish you see in the 
globes at home, as one pea’s like another.” 

“ Then they’re only little fish ?” said Rob, with a contempt- 
uous tone in his voice. 


20 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ Oh yes, only little ones, my lad,” said Shaddy, exchang- 
ing glances with the new-comer, who lowered the baited hook 
softly over the side of the boat, and rapidly paid out the line 
as the orange was borne away by the current. 

“ There, Rob, you fish ! ” the Italian said. “ Hold tight 
if one comes.” 

“ No ; go on,” replied Rob. “ I’m hot and tired. Bother 
the flies ! ” 

The young Italian nodded, and sitting down, twisted the 
end of the stout line round a pin in the side of the boat, 
looking, in his loose flannel shirt and trousers and straw 
hat, just such a lad as might be seen any summer day on the 
river Thames, save that he was barefooted instead of wear- 
ing brown leather or canvas shoes, and excepting the heavy 
breathing of the sleepers forward, there was perfect silence 
once again till Shaddy said, — 

“ Wind to-night, gentlemen, and the schooner will be off 
the bank.” 

“ The pampero ? ” said Giovanni — or, to shorten it to 
Rob’s familiar nickname, Joe — quietly. 

“ Looks like it, my lad. There, you have him.” 

For all at once the line tightened, so that there was a heavy 
strain on the side of the boat. 

“ That’s one of them little ones, Mr. Rob, sir.” 

Joe frowned, and there was a very intense look in his eyes 
as the line cut the water to and fro, showing that some large 
fish had taken the bait and was struggling vigorously to 
escape. 

Rob was all excitement now, and ready to bewail his luck 
at having given up the chance of holding so great a capture 
on the hook. 

“ To think o’ me not recollecting the orange bait ! ” grum- 
bled Shaddy. “ Must have been half asleep ! ” 

Those were intense moments, but moments they were ; for 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


21 


after a few rushes here and there the taut line suddenly grew 
slack, and as Rob uttered an ejaculation expressive of his 
disappointment Joe laughed quietly and drew in the line. 

“ Look,” he said, holding up the fragment of gimp attached 
by its loop to the line. “ I knew it was not strong 
enough.” 

“ Bit it in two,” said Shaddy. “ Ah, they have some teeth 
of their own, the fish here. Ought to call ’em dog-fish, for 
most of ’em barks and bites.” 

While he was speaking Joe had moved to the side of the 
dingey, reached over to a little locker in the stem, opened it, 
and returned directly with a big ugly-looking hook swinging 
on a piece of twisted wire by its eye. 

“They will not bite through that,” he said as he re- 
turned. 

“ Oh, but that’s absurdly big,” said Rob, laughing. “ That 
would frighten a forty-pound pike.” 

“ But it wouldn’t frighten a sixty-pound dorado, my lad,” 
said Shaddy, quietly. 

“ What ? ” cried Rob. “ Why, how big do you think that 
fish was that got away ? ” 

“ Thirty or forty pound, perhaps more.” 

By this time the young Italian was dividing the orange 
which Shaddy had laid upon the thwart beside him, and half 
of this, with the pulp well bare, he placed upon the hook, 
firmly securing this to the line. 

“ Now, Rob, your turn,” said Joe ; and the lad eagerly 
took hold, lowered the bait, and tossed over some twenty 
yards of line. 

“ Better twist it round the pin,” said his companion. 

“ Oh no, sir ; hold it.” 

“ Well, then, let me secure the end fast.” 

Rob was ready to resent this, for he felt confidence in his 
own powers ; but he held his tongue, and waited impatiently 


22 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


minute after minute, in expectation of the bite which did not 
come. 

“ No luck, eh ? ” said Shaddy. “ I say, I hope you’re not 
going to catch a water-snake. I’ll get my knife out to cut 
him free ; shall I ? He might sink us.” 

“ Do be quiet,” said Rob, excitedly. “ Might have one of 
those John Doreys any moment.” 

But still the minutes went on, and there was no sign. 

“ How are you going to manage if you hook one ? ” said 
Joe, quietly. 

“ Play him till he’s tired.” 

“Mind the line doesn’t cut your fingers. No, no, don’t 
twist it round your hand ; they pull very hard. Let him go 
slowly till all the line’s out.” 

“ When he bites,” said Rob in disappointed tones. “ Your 
one has frightened them all away, or else the bait’s off.” 

“ No ; I fixed it too tightly.” 

Just then there was a yawn forward, and another from 
a second of the Indians. 

“ Waking,” said Rob. “ May as well give it up as a bad 
job.” 

“ No, no, don’t do that, sir. You never know when you’re 
going to catch a big fish. Didn’t you have a try coming 
across ? ” 

“No; they said the steamer went too fast, and the screw 
frightened all the fish away.” 

“ Ah, it would. But you’d better keep on. Strikes me it 
won’t be fishing weather to-morrow.” 

Thung went the line, which tightened as if it had been 
screwed by a peg, and Rob felt a jerk up his arms anything 
but pleasant to his muscles ; while, in spite of his efforts, 
the line began to run through his fingers as jerk succeeded 
jerk. But the excitement made him hold on and give out as 
slowly as he could. The friction, though, was such that to 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


23 


check it he wound his left hand in the stout cord, but only 
to feel it cut so powerfully into his flesh that during a mo- 
mentary slackening he gladly got his left hand free, lowered 
both, so that the line rested on the gunwale of the boat, and 
making this take part of the stress, let the fish go. 

“Best way to catch them fellows is to have a canoe and a 
very strong line, so as he can tow you about till he’s tired,” 
said Shaddy. 

“ Is the end quite safe ? ” panted Rob, whose nerves were 
throbbing with excitement ; and he was wondering that his 
new friend could be so impassive and cool. 

“ Yes, quite tight,” was the reply just as all the line had 
glided out ; and as Rob held on he was glad to have the help 
afforded by the line being made fast to the pin. 

“ What do you say now, sir ? ” cried Shaddy. 

“ Oh, don’t talk, pray.” 

“ All right, sir, all right ; but he’s going it, ain’t he ? Tak- 
ing a regular gallop over the bottom, eh ? ” 

“ I do hope this hook will hold.” 

“It will,” said Giovanni; “you can’t say it’s too big 
now.” 

“ No,” said Rob in a husky whisper. “ But what is it— 
a shark ? ” 

“ I never heard o’ sharks up in these parts,’ said Shaddy, 
laughing. 

“ Or would it be an alligator ? It is awfully strong. Look 
at that.” 

This was as the prisoner made a furious rush through the 
water right across the stern. 

“ Nay ; it’s no alligator, my lad. If it were I should expect 
to see him come up to the top and poke out his ugly snout, 
as if to ask us what game we called this. Precious cunning 
chaps they are, and as they live by fishing, they’d say it 
wasn’t fair,” 


24 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ Oh, Shaddy, do hold your tongue ! ” cried Rob. “ I say, 
Joe, how long will it take to tire him ? ” 

“ Don’t know,” said the lad, laughing. “ He’s tiring you 
first.” 

“ Yes ; but how are we to get him on board ? ” 

“ Hullo, Rob, lad ! caught a fish or a tartar ? ” said a fresh 
voice, and a bronzed, sturdy man of six or eight-and-thirty 
stepped up behind them, putting on a pith helmet and suppress- 
ing a yawn, for he had just risen from his nap under the awning. 

“ Think it’s a tartar,” said Rob between his set teeth. 

“ Or a whale,” said the fresh comer, laughing. “ Perhaps 
we had better cut adrift.” 

“ No, no, sir,” cried Rob, excitedly. “ I must catch him.” 

“ I meant from the schooner, so as to let him tow us if he 
will take us up stream instead of down.” 

“ No; don’t move ; don’t do anything,” cried Rob hoarsely. 
“ I’m so afraid of his breaking away.” 

“ Well, he is doing his best, my lad.” 

“ Getting tired, Mr. Brazier,” said the Italian lad. “ They 
are very strong.” 

“ They ? What is it, then — a fresh-water seal ? ” 

“ No ; a dorado. I know it by the way it pulls.” 

“ Oh, then, let’s have him caught,” said Martin Brazier, head 
of the little expedition up the great Southern river. “Iam 
eager to see the gilded one. Steady, Rob, my lad 1 Give him 
time.” 

“ He has had time enough,” said Giovanni, quickly. “ Begin 
to pull in now, and he will soon be beaten.” 

Rob began to haul, and drew the fish a couple of yards 
nearer the boat, but he lost all he had gained directly, for the 
captive made a frantic dash for liberty, and careered wildly 
to and fro some minutes longer. Then, as fresh stress was 
brought to bear, it gradually yielded, stubbornly at first, then 
more and more, till the line was gathering fast in the bottom 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


2 5 

of the boat, and a sudden splash and tremendous eddy half 
a dozen yards away showed that the fish was close to the 
surface. 

Just then the Italian captain’s son came close up to Rob, 
and stood looking over, holding a large hook which he had 
fetched from the dingey ; but he drew back, and looked in 
Mr. Brazier’s face. 

“ Would you like to hook it in ? ” he said, “ or shall we let 
him go ? It is a very big one, and will splash about.” 

“ Better let me, sir,” said Shaddy, drawing his knife. 
“ Keep clear of him, too, for he may bite.” 

Martin Brazier looked sharply at the man he had engaged 
for his guide, expecting to see a furtive smile, but Shaddy 
was perfectly serious, and read his meaning. 

“ It’s all right, sir ; they do bite, and bite sharply, too. 
Give us the hook, youngster.” 

He took the hook the young Italian handed, and as Rob 
dragged the fish, which still plunged fiercely, nearer the side, 
he leaned over, and after the line had been given twice and 
hauled in again, there was a gleam of orange and gold, then 
a flash as the captive turned upon its side, and before it 
could give another beat with its powerful caudal fin, Shaddy 
deftly thrust the big hook in one of its gills, and the next 
moment the dorado was dragged over the gunwale to lay for 
a moment in the bright sunshine a mass of dazzling orange 
and gold, apparently astonished or half stunned. The next 
it was beating the bottom heavily with its tail, leaping up 
from side to side and taking possession of the stern of the 
boat, till a sharp tug of the hook brought its head round, 
and a thrust from Shaddy’s knife rendered the fierce creature 
incapable of doing mischief with its formidable teeth-covered 
jaws. 

Rob’s arms ached, and his hands were sore, but he for- 
got everything in the contemplation of the magnificent fish 



THE GRAND CHACO. 


2 7 


he had captured. For as it lay there now, feebly opening 
and closing its gills, it was wonderfully like an ordinary gold- 
fish of enormous size, the orange-and-gold scale armor in 
which it was clad being so gorgeous that, in spite of his tri- 
umph in the capture, Rob could not help exclaiming, — 

“ What a pity to have killed it ! ” 

“ There are plenty more,” said Joe, smiling. 

“Yes, but it is so beautiful,” said Rob, regretfully. 

“Yet we should not have seen its beauty,” said Brazier, 
“ if we had not caught it.” And he bent down to examine 
the fish more closely. 

“ Mind your eye, sir,” shouted Shaddy. 

“ You mean my finger, I suppose,” said Brazier, snatching 
back his hand. 

“That’s so, sir,” replied Shaddy. “ I’d a deal rather have 
mine in a rat-trap. Just you look here ! ” 

He picked up the boat-hook and presented the end of the 
pole to the fish as its jaws gaped open, and touched the 
palate. In an instant the mouth closed with a snap, and the 
teeth were driven into the hard wood. 

“ There, sir,” continued Shaddy, “ that’s when he’s half 
dead. You can tell what he’s like when he’s all alive in the 
water. Pretty creetur, then,” he continued, apostrophizing 
the dying fish, “ it was a pity to kill you. They’ll be pretty 
glad down below, though, to get rid of you. Wonder how 
many other better-looking fish he ate every day, Mr. Harlow, 
sir ? ” 

“ I didn’t think of that,” said Rob, feeling more comforta- 
ble, and his regret passing away. 

“ With teeth like that, he must have been a regular water 
tyrant,” said Brazier, after a long examination of the fish, 
from whose jaws the pole was with difficulty extracted. 
“ There, take it away,” he continued. “ Your cook will 
make something of it, eh, Giovanni ? ” 


28 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ Yes,” said the lad ; “ we’ll have some for dinner.” 

“ But what do you suppose it weighs ? ” cried Rob. 

“ Good sixty pound, sir,” said Shaddy, raising the captive 
on the hook at arm’s length. “ Wo-ho ! ” he shouted as the 
fish made a struggle, quivering heavily from head to tail. 
“ There you are ! ” he cried, dropping it into the dingey. 
Then in the Guarani dialect he told two of the Indian boat- 
men to take it on board the schooner, over whose stern sev- 
eral dark faces had now appeared, and soon after the gor- 
geous-looking trophy was hauled up the vessel’s side and dis- 
appeared. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


2 9 


CHAPTER III. 

THE RAIN-STORM. 

“ Now > sir > if you please,” said Shaddy, “I think it’s time 
to do something to this covering-in. We’ve had fine weather 
so far, but it s going to change. What do you say to spread 
ing another canvas over the top ? ” 

“ H you think it’s necessary, do it at once.” 

“ It,s going to rain soon,” said the Italian lad, who was 
seated by Rob, carefully winding up the line so that it might 
dry. 

“ And when it do rain out here, sir, it ain’t one of your 
British mizzles, but regular cats and dogs. It comes down 
in bucketfuls. And, as you know, the best thing toward be- 
ing healthy’s keeping a dry skin, which you can’t do in wet 
clothes.” 

Work was commenced at once after the boat had been 
swabbed clean to get rid of the blood and slime, and a can- 
vas sheet being unfolded, it was stretched over the ridge pole 
which covered in a portion of the boat, tightly tied down over 
the sides, and secured fore and aft. 

“ There,” said Shaddy when he had finished, the boys and 
Mr. Brazier helping willingly, “ if we can keep the wind out we 
shall be all right now. Nothing like keeping your victuals 
and powder dry. Not much too soon, sir, eh ? ” 

Martin Brazier and his companion had been too busy to 
notice the change that had come over the sky ; but now 
they looked up to see that the sun was covered by a dull 
haze, which rapidly grew more dense. The heat that had 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


3 ° 

prevailed for many days, during which they had fought their 
way slowly up the great river, passed rapidly away, and Rob 
suggested that rain would begin to fall soon. 

“ Not yet, my lad. These are not rain-clouds,” said 
Shaddy ; “ that’s only dust.” 

“ Dust ? Where are the roads for it to blow off ? ” said 
Rob, incredulously. 

“ Roads ? No roads, but off the thousands of miles of 
dry plains.” 

Just then a hail came from the schooner, the captain look- 
ing over, and in extremely bad English suggesting that the 
party should come on board ; but directly after he lapsed 
into Italian, addressed to his son. 

“ Father says we shall have two or three days’ rain and 
bad weather, and that you will be more comfortable on board 
till the storm has gone by.” 

“ Yes,” said Mr. Brazier, “ no doubt, but I don’t like leav- 
ing the boat.” 

“ She’ll be all right, sir,” said Shaddy. “ I’ll stop aboard 
with one of the Indians. Bit o’ rain won’t hurt us.” 

Mr. Brazier hesitated. 

“ Better go, sir.” 

“ To refuse would be showing want of confidence in him,” 
said Brazier to Rob, and then aloud, — 

“Very well. Take care of the guns, and see that nothing 
gets wet.” 

Just then there was a whirling rush of cool wind, which 
rippled the whole surface of the water. 

“ I shall take care of ’em, sir,” said Shaddy. “ Here 
comes the dingey. Better get aboard whilst you can. She’ll 
be off that sand-bank ’fore an hour’s past. You can send 
us a bit of the fish, Mr. Harlow. Haul us up close, and 
drop some in.” 

“ Yes, I’ll look after you, Shaddy,” replied Rob. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


3 * 

“ And if this wind holds we shall soon be in the Paraguay 
river, sir, and sailing into another climate, as you’ll see.” 

1 hey went on board the schooner, where they were warmly 
welcomed by the Italian skipper, and in less time than Shaddy 
had suggested there was quite a sea on, which rocked the 
heavily masted vessel from side to side ; a sail or two dropped 
down, and as a tremendous gust of moisture-laden air came 
from the water the schooner rose, dipped her bowsprit, 
creaked loudly, and as quite a tidal wave rushed up the river 
before the storm she seemed to leap off the sand-bank on 
its crest right into deep water, and sailed swiftly away due 
north. 

All whose duty did not keep them on deck were snugly 
housed in the cabin, listening to the deafening roar of the 
thunder and watching the lightning, which flashed inces- 
santly, while the rain beat and thrashed the decks and poured 
out of the scuppers in cascades. 

“ They were right,” said Brazier to Rob. “ We’re better 
here, but if this goes on our boat will be half full of water, 
and not a thing left dry.” 

“ Shaddy will take care of them,” said Rob quietly. “ Be- 
sides, most of the things are packed in casks, and will not 
hurt.” 

Mr. Brazier shook his head. 

“ I don’t know,” he said ; “ I’m afraid we shall have to 
renew our stock of provisions and powder at Assuncion, and 
they’ll make us pay pretty dearly for it, too.” 

The storm lasted well through the night, but at daybreak 
the rain had ceased. When they went on deck, there, 
swinging behind them, was the drenched boat, with Shaddy 
seated astern, scooping out the last drops of water with a tin, 
and saving that the canvas tent was saturated and steamed 
slightly, nothing seemed wrong. The morning was com- 
paratively cool, a gleam of orange light coming in the east, 


32 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


and a pleasant gale blowing from the south and sending 
the shallow-draughted schooner onward at a rapid pace. 

A couple of hours later, with the sun well up, the temper- 
ature was delicious, the canvas of the boat tent drying 
rapidly, and Shaddy, after hauling close up astern for the 
fish he had not forgotten, had reported that not a drop of 
water had got inside to the stores. 

Days followed of pleasant sailing, generally with the 
pampero blowing, but with a few changes round to the north, 
when, as they tacked up the river, it was like being in another 
climate. 

One or two stoppages followed at the very few towns on the 
banks, and at last the junction of the two great rivers was 
reached, the Parana, up which they had sailed,' winding off to 
the east and north, the Paraguay, up which their destination 
lay running in a winding course due north. 

As Shaddy had prophesied, the change was wonderful as 
soon as they had entered this river, and fresh scenes and 
novelties were constantly delighting Rob’s eyes as they 
slowly sailed on against the current. 

“ Oh, yes, this is all very well,” said Shaddy ; “but wait till 
we’ve got past the big city yonder and left the schooners and 
trade and houses behind : then I shall show you something. 
All this don’t count.” 

Mr. Brazier seemed to think that it did, and a dozen times 
over he was for bidding Captain Ossolo good-bye, thanking 
and paying him for towing him up the river, and turning off 
at once into one of the streams that ran in through the virgin 
land west. But Shaddy opposed him. 

“ I’m only your servant, Mr. Brazier, sir,” he said, “ and 
I’ll do what you say ; but you told me you wanted to go into 
quite noo country. Well, it will be easier for me to take you 
up one of these creeks or rivers, and you’ll be able to hunt 
and collect ; only recollect that it isn’t such very noo country 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


33 


—other folks have been up here and there. What I say is, 
give the skipper good-bye when we get to Assuncion, and 
then we 11 sail and row and pole up a couple of hundred miles 
farther, and then turn off west’ard. Then I can take you up 
rivers where everything’s noo to Englishmen, and in such a 
country as shall make you say that you couldn’t ha’ thought 
there was such a land on earth.” 

Similar conversations to this took place again and again, 
and all fired Martin Brazier’s brain as much as they did 
Rob’s. 

They had an unexpected effect, too, for, on reaching 
Assuncion, where the schooner cast anchor to discharge her 
cargo and take in a fresh one for the downward journey, 
Captain Ossolo came over into the boat one evening with his 
son, just as Brazier and Rob were busy with Shaddy packing 
in stores which had been freshly purchased, as possibly this 
would be the last place where they could provide themselves 
with some of the necessaries of life. 

“ Ah, captain,” cried Brazier, “ I’m glad you’ve come. 
I want to have a settlement with you for all you’ve done.” 

The captain nodded, and rubbed one brown ear, making 
the gold ring therein glisten. 

“ What am I in your debt ? ” continued Brazier, “ though 
no money can pay you for your kindness to us and excellent 
advice.” 

The captain was silent, and took to rubbing the other ear, 
his face wearing a puzzled expression. 

“ Don’t be afraid to speak out, sir,” continued Brazier ; 

“ I am sure you will find me generous.” 

“ Si ! yes,” said the captain, holding out his hand, which 
was at once taken ; “ much please — good fellow — amico — 
bono — altro — altro ! ” 

He broke down and looked confused. 

“ I understand you,” said Brazier, speaking slowly ; “ and 

3 


34 


THE GRAND CHACO . 


so are you a good fellow. I wish I could speak Italian. Do 
you understand me ? ” 

“ Si / si ! ” said the captain, nodding his head. 

“ We both hope to find you here again when we return, 
for you to help us down the river again with the collections 
we shall have made.” 

This last puzzled the captain a little ; but his son, who 
was at his elbow, interpreted, and he nodded his head vehe- 
mently. 

“Si! si/” he cried. “Take you back on Tessa . Get 
fever ? No. Get hurt ? No. Come back safe.” 

“ My father means you are to take care of yourselves,” 
said Joe, “ both you and Rob. Shaddy has promised to help 
you all he can.” 

“ Ah, to be sure I will ; depend upon that,” said the indi- 
vidual named. 

“ And father wants to say something else,” said Joe. 

“ Yes, of course,” said Brazier rather impatiently. “ What 
am I in his debt ? ” 

“ Shall I tell him, father ? ” said the lad in Italian. 

“ Si / si/” 

The lad cleared his voice, and fixed his eyes on Rob, but 
turned them directly after upon Brazier. 

“ My father says he will not take any money for what he 
has done.” 

“ Oh, nonsense ! ” cried Brazier ; “ he must.” 

“ No ! ” cried the skipper, frowning as he shook his head 
till his earrings glistened. 

“ He wants you to do him a favor.” 

“ What does he so want — a gun, a watch, some powder ? ” 

“ No,” said the lad, clearing his throat again ; “ he wants 
you to be a friend to me and take me with you in the 
boat.” 

“ What ? ” cried Rob, with an eager look. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


35 

“ Father — il mio padre — says it would do me good to go 
with you and travel, and learn to speak English better.” 

“ Why, you speak it well now.” 

“ But better,” continued Joe. “ He would like me to go 
with Rob, and help you, and shoot and fish and collect things. 
He would like it very much.” 

Captain Ossolo showed his teeth and laughed merrily as 
he clapped his son on the shoulder. 

“ Do you understand what your son says ? ” cried Brazier. 

“ St / All he say. Giovanni want go bad, very much 
bad.” 

“ I thought so,” said Brazier. Then turning to the lad, 
“ Do you know that we may be months away ? ” 

“ Yes, I know,” said the lad, eagerly. “ Father says it 

would Please take me, Signore Brazier. I will be so 

useful, and I can fish, and cook, and light fires.” 

“ And lay the blame on your father, eh ? He wants you 
to go ? ” 

“ He says I may, signore — I mean sir. He promised me 
that he would ask you.” 

“ I understand,” said Brazier, “ but, my good lad, do you 
know that we shall have to rough it very much ? ” 

“ Bah ! ” exclaimed the boy. “ You will have the boat, 
and Shaddy, and the four Indian rowers. The country is 
paradise. It will be a holiday, a delight.” 

“ And the insects, the wild beasts, the dangers of dis- 
ease ? ” 

u What of them ? We shall be on the rivers, and I have 
been on rivers half my life. Pray take me, signore.” 

Brazier shook his head, and a look of agony convulsed the 
boy’s Southern features. 

“ Speak to him, my father,” he cried, excitedly, “ and 
you, Rob. We were making friends. Beg, pray of him to 
say yes.” 


36 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ Si 1 ” said the captain, nodding his head. “ Do boy mio 
good. Much, very good boy, Giovanni.” 

“ Well, I hardly like to refuse you, my lad,” said Brazier. 
“ What do you say, Rob ? Could we make room for him ? ” 

A light seemed to flash from Giovanni’s eyes, and his lips 
parted as he waited panting for Rob’s reply. 

“ Oh yes ; he would not take up much room.” 

“ No, very little. I could sleep anywhere,” cried the lad 
excitedly, “and I could help -you so much. I know the 
country almost as well as Shaddy. Don’t I, Shad ? ” 

“ Say ever so much more, boy, if you like. But he does 
know a lot about it. Me and he’s been more than one trip 
together, eh, lad ? ” 

“ Yes. But beg him to take me, Rob,” cried the boy. 
“ I do so want to go.” 

“ You will take him, will you not, Mr. Brazier ? ” 

“ I shrink from the responsibility,” said Brazier. 

“ I’ll take the responsibility, then,” cried Rob, eagerly. 

“ Suppose I say no ? ” 

Giovanni’s countenance changed at every speech, being 
one moment clouded, the next bright. And now as that 
word “ No” rang out he clasped his hands together and 
raised them with a gesture full of despair. Then his eyes lit 
up again, for Rob said quickly, — 

“ Don’t say it, then. He would be so horribly disappointed 
now.” 

“ Si ! Take Giovanni,” said the skipper, and the boy gave 
him a grateful glance. 

“ But suppose anything happens to him ? ” 

The Italian captain could not grasp the meaning of this 
last speech, and turned to his son, who rendered it into their 
own tongue. 

“ Oh,” replied the captain in the same language, “ it is 
fate. He must take care of himself. Suppose I fall over- 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


37 

board, and am drowned, or the fish eat me ? Yes, he must 
take care.” 

“ You would like him with us, then, Rob ? ” said Brazier. 

“ Yes, very much.” 

“ That’s enough, then. You shall come, my lad. Wait a 
moment ; hear what I have to say. You must be obedient 
and follow out my instructions.” 

“ Yes ; I’ll do everything you tell me,” cried the boy. 

“ And you will have to do as we do — live hard and work 
hard.” 

“ I’m not afraid of work,” said the boy, smiling. 

“ And now interpret this to your father. I will do every- 
thing I can to protect you, and you shall be like one of us, 
but he must not expect me to be answerable for any mishaps 
that may come to us out in the wilds.” 

Giovanni turned eagerly to his father, but the skipper 
waved his hand. 

“ Understand,” he said, nodding his head. “ I you trust. 
Take il mio boy.” 

He held out his hand to Brazier, and shook his solemnly 
as if in sign manual of the compact, and then repeated the 
performance with Rob, whose hand he retained, and taking 
his son’s, placed them together. 

“ Fratelli / broders ! ” he said, smiling. 

“ Yes, I will be like a brother to you,” cried Giovanni. 

“ All right,” said Rob unpoetically ; and then the skipper 
turned to Shadrach, and grumbled out something in Italian. 

“ Toe be sure,” growled the man in English. “ ’Course 
I will. You know me, capen.” 

“ Si ! ” replied the skipper laconically ; and then, asking 
Rob to accompany him, the Italian lad made for his little 
cabin to begin the few preparations he had to make. 

The result was that a canvas bag like a short bolster was 
handed down into the boat, and then the boy followed with 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


38 

a light, useful-looking rifle, belt, and long, keen sheath-knife, 
which he hung up under the canvas to be clear of the night 
dew or rain. 

It was still gray the next morning when the boatmen sat 
ready with their oars, and Captain Ossolo stood in the dingey 
beside Brazier’s boat, which swung astern of the Tessa , down 
into whose hold scores of light-footed women were passing 
basketfuls of oranges. 

They paused in their work for a few minutes as the captain 
shook hands with all in turn. 

“ A revederla / ” he cried, taking off his Panama hat. “ I 
see you when you come back, ole boy ; goo’-bye ; take your- 
self care of you.” 

The next minute he was waving his soft hat from the 
dingey, while Brazier’s boat was gliding up stream, and the 
two boys stood up and gave him a hearty cheer. 

“ Now, youngsters,” said Shaddy as he cleared the little 
mast lying under the thwarts, “ we shall catch the wind as 
soon as we’re round the next bend ; so we may as well let 
NatuP do the work when she will.” 

“ What’s that, Shadrach ? ” said Brazier ; “ going to hoist 
the sail ? ” 

“ Ay, sir. No Tessa to tow us now.” 

“ True. What do you mean to do first ? ” 

“ Ask you to resist all temptations to stop at what you calls 
likely bits, sir, and wait till we get up a hundred mile or so, 
when I’ll take you into waters which will be exactly what 
you want.” 

“ Very good ; I leave myself then in your hands.” 

“ Just to start you, sir. After that it’s you as takes the 
helm.” 

As their guide said, the wind was fair as soon as they had 
rowed round a bend of the great, smooth river ; the sail was 
hoisted, the oars laid in, and the Indian rowers too, for as 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


39 


soon as they had ceased pulling they lay down forward to 
sleep, and that night the boat was moored to a tree on the 
eastern side of the stream, far away from the haunts of civ- 
ilized man, while Rob lay sleepless, listening to the strange 
and weird sounds which rose from the apparently impenetrable 
forest on the far away western shore. 


40 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


CHAPTER IV. 

STRANGE NOISES. 

“ Not asleep, my lad ? ” said a voice at his elbow as Rob 
crept out from under the awning to the extreme stern. 

“ You, Shaddy ? No, I can’t sleep. It all seems so 
strange.” 

“ Ay, At do to you,” said the man in a husky whisper. 
“ You’ve got it just on you now strong. You couldn’t go to 
sleep because you thought that them four Indian chaps for- 
ward might come with their knives and finish you and drop 
you overboard — all of us.” 

“ How do you know I thought that ? ” 

“ Ah, I know ! ” said Shaddy, with a chuckle. “ Every- 
body does. I did first time. Well, they won’t, so you needn’t 
be af eared o’ that. Nex’ thing as kept you awake was that 
you thought a great boa-constructor might be up in the tree 
and come crawling down into the boat.” 

“ Shaddy, are you a witch ? ” cried Rob. 

“ Not as I knows on, my lad.” 

“ Then how did you know that ? ” 

“ Human natur’, lad. Every one thinks just like that. 
Next you began thinking that them pretty creeturs you can 
hear singing like great cats would swim across and attack 
us, or some great splashing fish shove his head over the side 
to take a bite at one of us. Didn’t you ? ” 

Rob was silent for a few moments, and then said, — 

“ Well, I did think something of the kind.” 

“ Of course you did. It is your nature to think like that, 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


4i 


but you may make your mind easy, for there’s only one thing 
likely to attack you out here.” 

“ What’s that ? ” whispered Rob — “ Indians who will swim 
out from the shore ? ” 

“ No, wild creeturs who will fly — skeeters, lad, skeeters.” 

“ Oh,” said Rob, with a little laugh, “ they’ve been busy 
enough already, two or three of them. But what’s that ? ” 

He grasped Shaddy’s arm, for at that moment there was 
a plunge in the river not very far away in the darkness from 
where they were moored, and then silence. 

“ Dunno yet,” said Shaddy in a whisper. “ Listen.” 

Rob needed no telling, for his every nerve was on the 
strain. There came a peculiar grunting sound, very unlike 
any noise that might have been made by a swimming Indian, 
and Shaddy said quietly, — 

“Water hog. Carpincho they calls ’em, big kind of porky, 
beavery, ottery, ratty sort of thing ; and not bad eating.” 

Rob pressed his arm again as a sharp, piercing howl came 
from far away over the river, here about four or five hundred 
yards across. 

“ That’s a lion,” said Shaddy quietly. “ Strikes me they 
shout like that to scare the deer and things they live on into 
making a rush, and then they’re down upon ’em like a cat 
upon a mouse.” 

“ Lion ? You mean a puma.” 

“Means a South American lion, my lad.” 

“ There it is again,” whispered Rob in an awe-stricken 
voice, “only it’s a deeper tone, and sounds more savage.” 

“ That’s just what it is,” said Shaddy, ever so much more 
savage. That wasn’t a lion ; that was a tiger — well, j agger, 
as some calls ’em. Deal fiercer beasts than the lions.” 

The cries were repeated and answered from a distance, 
while many other strange noises arose, to which the man 
could give no name. 


42 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ One would want half a dozen lives to be able to get at 
all of it, my lad,” said Shaddy quietly, “and there’s such 
lots of things that cheat you so.” 

“ Hist ! There’s another splash,” whispered Rob. 

“Ay; there’s no mistake about that, my lad. There it 
goes again, double one. It’s as plain as if you can see it, a 
big fish springing out of the water, turning over, and falling 
in again with a flop. You don’t think there’s no fish in the 
river now, do you ? ” 

“ Oh no. I don’t doubt it now,” whispered Rob as he 
listened to fish after fish rising, and all apparently very large. 

“ Makes a man wonder what they are jumping after, unless 
it is the stars shining in the water. You hear that ? ” 

“Yes.” 

“ And that, too ? ” 

“Yes, I hear them,” replied Rob, unable to repress a 
shiver, so strange and weird were the cries which came 
mournfully floating across. 

“ Well, them two used to puzzle me no end — one of ’em 
a regular roar and the other quite a moan, as if somebody 
was dying.” 

“ You know what it is now ? ” 

“Yes, and you’d never guess, my lad, till you said one 
was made by a bird.” 

“ A bird ? ” 

“Yes, a long-legged heron kind of thing as trumpets it 
out with a roar like a strange, savage beast ; and the other 
moaning, groaning sound is made by a frog. I don’t mind 
owning it used to scare me at first.” 

Rob sat listening to the weird chorus going on in the 
forest and watching the stars above, and their slightly blurred 
reflections in the water which went whispering by the prow 
and side of the boat. It was all so solemn, and strange, and 
awe-inspiring that, in spite of a feeling of dread which he 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


43 

could not master, he was glad to be there wakeful, trying to 
picture the different creatures prowling about in the dark- 
ness of the primeval forest. He had listened time after time 
on the voyage up, but then the schooner was close at hand, 
and they passed towns and villages on the east bank ; but 
here they were farther away in the heart of the wild country, 
and on the very edge of a forest untrodden by the foot of 
man, and maybe teeming with animal life as new as it was 
strange. And in amongst this they were soon going to 
plunge ! 

It had been the dream of the boy’s life to penetrate one 
of the untrodden fastnesses of nature, bat now that he was 
on the threshold listening in the darkness of night, there 
was something terrible both in the silence and in the sounds 
which made him ask himself whether he had done wisely in 
accompanying Martin Brazier, an old friend of his father, 
who, partly for profit, but more for the advancement of 
science, had made his arrangements for this adventurous 
journey. But it was too late now to recede, even had he 
wished to do so. In fact, had any one talked of his return, 
he would have laughed at him as a proposer of something 
absurd. 

“ I suppose it comes natural to most boys to long for 
adventures and to see foreign countries,” he thought to him- 
self, and then he went over mentally the scene with Giovanni. 

“ Joe is as eager as I was,” he muttered, and then he 
started, for something swept by his face. 

“ What’s the matter, my lad ? ” said Shaddy quietly. 

“ I — I don’t know, something There it goes again, 

some bird. An owl, I think, flew past my face. There, it 
skimmed just over our heads with a fluttering noise.” 

“ I heard it, lad — bat, big ’un. Put your toes in your 
pockets if you haven’t got on your shoes.” 

“ What do you mean ? ” 


44 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


u It’s a blood-sucker — wampire, that’s all.” 

• “ But that’s all nonsense,” said Rob, with a slight shudder* 
“a traveller’s tale.” 

“Oh, is it, boy? You’ll see one of these times when we 
wake in the morning. They come in the night and suck 
your blood.” 

“ Oh, that can’t be true ? ” 

“ Why not ? Get out, will you ? ” said Shaddy gruffly as 
he made a blow at the great leathern-winged creature that 
kept fluttering about their heads. “ He smells his supper, 
and is trying for a chance. You don’t believe it, then ?” 

“ No.” 

“ Humph ! Well, you’ve a right to your own opinion, my 
lad,” said Shaddy quietly, “but I suppose you believe that 
if you dabbled your legs in the water a leech might fix on 
you and suck your blood ? ” 

“ Oh yes : I’ve had many on me in England.” 

“ And you’ve had skeeters on you and maybe sucked your 
blood here ? ” 

“ Yes.” 

“ Then why can’t you believe as a bat wouldn’t do the 
same ? ” 

Rob found the argument unanswerable. 

“ It’s true enough, my lad. They’ll lay hold on a fellow’s 
toe or thumb, ay, and on horses too. I’ve known ’em quite 
weak with being sucked so much night after night.” 

“ Horses ? Can they get through a horse’s thick skin ? ” 

Shaddy chuckled. 

“ Why, dear lad,” he said, “ a horse has got a skin as 
tender as a man’s, so just you ’member that next time you 
spurs or whips them.” 

Rob sat in silence, thinking, with the weird sounds increas- 
ing for a time, and, in spite of his efforts, it was impossible 
to keep down a shrinking sense of dread. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


45 

Everything was thrilling: the golden-spangled water 
looked so black, and the darkness around so deep, while 
from the Grand Chaco, the great, wild, untrodden forest 
across the river stretching away toward the mighty Andes in 
the west, the shouts, growls, and wails suggested endless 
horrors going on as the wild creatures roamed here and there 
in search of food. 

Plash ! right away — a curious sound of a heavy body 
plunging into the river, but with the noise carried across the 
water, so that it seemed to be only a few yards away. 

“ What’s that ? ” whispered Rob. 

“ Can’t tell for sartain, my lad, but I should say that some- 
thing came along and disturbed a big fat ’gator on the bank, 
and he took a dive in out of the way. I say ! Hear 
that ? ” 

“ Hear it ? ” said Rob as a creeping sensation came 
amongst the roots of his hair, just as if the skin had twitched ; 
“who could help hearing it ? ” 

For, the moment before Shaddy asked his question, a blood- 
curdling, agonizing yell, as of some being in mortal agony, 
rang out from across the river. 

“ Ay, ’tis lively. First time I heered that I says to my- 
self, ‘ That’s one Injun killing another,’ and I cocked my 
rifle and said to myself again, ‘ Well, he shan’t do for me.’ ” 

“And was it one Indian murdering another in his sleep ?” 

Shaddy chuckled. 

“Not it, lad. Darkness is full of cheating and tricks. 
You hears noises in the night, and they sound horrid. If 
you heered ’em when the sun’s shining you wouldn’t take 
any notice of ’em.” 

“ But there it is again,” whispered Rob as the horrible cry 
arose, and after an interval was repeated as fr&n a distance. 
“ Whatever is it ? ” 

“ Sort o’ stork or crane thing calling its mate and saying, 


46 THE GRAND CHACO . 

‘ Here’s lots o’ nice, cool, juicy frogs out here. Come 
on.’ ” 

“ A bird ? ” 

“Yes. Why not ? Here, you wait a bit, and you’ll open 
your eyes wide to hear ’em. Some sings as sweet as sweet, 
and some makes the most gashly noises you can ’magine. 
That’s a jagger — that howl, and that’s a lion again. Hear 
him ! He calls out sharper like than the other. You’ll soon 
get to know the difference. But I say, do go and have a 
sleep now, so as to get up fresh and ready for the day’s 
work. I shall have lots to show you to-morrow.” 

“ Yes, I’ll go and lie down again soon. But listen to that ! 
What’s that booming, roaring sound that keeps rising and 
falling ? There, it’s quite loud now.” 

“ Frogs ! ” said Shaddy, promptly. “ There’s some rare 
fine ones out here. There, go and lie down, my lad.” 

“ Why are you in such a hurry to get rid of me ? You are 
watching. Can’t I keep you company ? ” 

“Glad to have you, my lad, but I was picked out by 
skipper Ossolo because I know all about the country and the 
river ways, wasn’t I ? ” 

“ Yes, of course.” 

“Very well, then. I give you good advice. You don’t 
want to be ill and spoil your trip, so, to keep right, what 
you’ve got to do is to eat and drink reg’lar and sensible and 
take plenty of sleep.” 

“ Oh, very well,” said Rob, with a sigh. “ I’ll go direct- 
ly.” 

“ It means steady eyes and hands, my lad. I know : it all 
sounds very wild and strange up here, but you’ll soon get 
used to it, and sleep as well as those Indian lads do. There, 
good-night.’* 

“ Good-night,” said Rob, reluctantly. “ But isn’t it nearly 
morning ? ” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


47 

“ Not it, five hours before sunrise ; so go and take it out 
ready for a big day — such a trip as you never dreamed 
of” 

“Very well,” replied Rob, and he crept quietly back to his' 
place under the canvas covering ; but sleep would not come, 
or so it seemed to him. But all at once the mingling of 
strange sounds grew muffled and dull, and then he opened 
his eyes, to find that the place where he lay was full of a 
soft, warm glow, and Joe was bending over him and shaking 
him gently. 


48 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


CHAPTER V. 

INDIANS. 

“ You do sleep soundly,” said the young Italian, merrily. 

“Why, it’s morning, and I didn’t know I had been sleep- 
ing ! Where’s Mr. Brazier ? ” 

“ Forward yonder.” 

“ Why, we’re going on.” 

“Yes; there’s a good wind, and we’ve been sailing away 
since before the sun rose.” 

Rob jumped up and hurried out of the tent-like arrange- 
ment, to find Shaddy seated in the stern steering, and after 
a greeting Rob looked about him, entranced by the scenery 
and the wondrous tints of the dewy morning. Great patches 
of mist hung about here and there close under the banks 
where the wind did not catch them, and these were turned, 
by the early morning’s sun to glorious opalescent masses, 
broken by brilliant patches of light. 

The boat was gliding along over the sparkling water close 
in now to the western shore, whose banks were invisible, 
being covered by a dense growth of tree and climber, many 
of whose strands dipped into the river, while umbrageous 
trees spread and drooped their branches, so that it would 
have been possible to row or paddle in beneath them in one 
long, bowery tunnel close to the bank. 

“ Going to have a wash ? ” said Joe, breaking in upon Rob’s 
contemplative fit of rapture as he gazed with hungry eyes at 
the lovely scene. 

“ Wash ? Oh yes ! ” cried Rob, starting, and he fetched a 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


49 


rough towel out of the tent, went to the side, and hesitated. 

“Hadn’t we better have a swim?” he said. “You’ll 
come ? ” 

“ Not him,” growled Shaddy. “What yer talking about ? 
Want to feed the fishes ? ” 

“ Rubbish ! I can swim,” said Rob warmly ; and leaning 
over the side, he plunged his hands into the water, sweeping 
them about. 

“ Deliciously cool ! ” he cried. “ Oh ! ” 

He snatched out his right and then his left, and as he did 
so a little silvery object dropped into the water. 

Joe looked on in silence, and a peculiar smile came over 
Shaddy’s countenance as he saw Rob examine the back of 
his hand. 

“ Something’s been biting me in the night,” he said. “ It 
bleeds.” 

Rob thrust in his hand again to wash away the blood, but 
snatched it out the next minute, for as the ruddy fluid tinged 
the water there was a rush of tiny fish at his hand, and he 
stared at half a dozen tiny bites which he had received. 

“ Why, they’re little fish,” he cried. “ Are they the piranas 
you talked about, Joe ? ” 

“ Yes. What do you say to a swim now ? ” 

“ I’m willing. The splashing would drive them away.” 
Shaddy chuckled again. 

“ The splashing would bring them by thousands,” said Joe 
quietly. “You can’t bathe here. Those little fish would 
bite at you till in a few minutes you would be covered with 
blood, and that would bring thousands more up to where you 
were.” 

“And they’d eat me up,” said Rob mockingly. 

“ If somebody did not drag you out. They swarm in mil- 
lions, and the bigger fish, too, are always ready to attack any- 
thing swimming in the stream.” 

4 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


5 ° 

“ Come and hold the tiller here, Joe, my lad,” growled 
Shaddy, “ while I dip him a bucket of water to wash. When 
he knows the Paraguay like we do, he won’t want to bathe. 
Why, Mr. Robin, there’s all sorts o’ things here ready for a 
nice juicy boy, from them little piranas right up to turtles and 
crocodiles and big snakes, so you must do your swimming with 
a sponge till we get on a side river and find safe pools.” 

He dipped the bucket, and Rob had his wash ; by that 
time Brazier had joined him. 

“Well, Rob,” he cried, “is this good enough for you? 
Will the place do ? ” 

“ Do ? ” cried Rob. “ Oh, I feel as if I do not want to 
talk, only to sit and look at the trees. There, ain’t those 
orchids hanging down ? ” 

Brazier raised a little double glass which he carried to his 
eyes, and examined a great cluster of lovely blossoms hang- 
ing from an old, half-decayed branch projecting over the 
river. 

“ Yes,” he cried, “ lovely. Well, Naylor, how soon are we 
to land or run up some creek ? ” 

“ Arter two or three days,” said the steersman. 

“ But hang it, man, the bank yonder is crowded with vege- 
table treasures.” 

“ What ! them ? ” said Shaddy, with a contemptuous snort. 
“ I don’t call them anything. You just wait, sir, and trust 
me. You shall see something worth coming after by-and- 
bye.” 

“ Well, run the boat in closer to the shore, so that I can 
examine the plants as we go along. The water looks deep, 
and the wind’s right. You could get within a dozen yards 
of the trees.” 

“ I could get so as you might touch ’em, sir. There’s plenty 
of water, but I’m not going no closer than this.” 

“ Why ? ” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


5 1 

“Because I know that part along there. We can’t see no- 
body, but I dessay there’s Injuns watching us all the time 
from among the leaves, and if we went closer they might have 
a shot at us.” 

“ Then they have guns ? ” 

“ No, sir, bows and arrows some of ’em, but mostly blow- 
pipes.” 

“ With poisoned arrows ? ” 

“ That’s so, sir, and, what’s worse, they know how to use 
’em. They hit a man, I knew once, with a tiny bit of an arrow 
thing, only a wood point as broke off in the wound — wound, 
it weren’t worth calling a wound, but the little top was pois- 
oned, and before night he was a dead man.” 

“ From the poison ? ” 

“ That’s it, sir. He laughed at it at first. The bit of an 
arrow, like a thin skewer with a tuft of cotton wool on the end, 
didn’t look as if it could hurt a strong man as I picked it up 
and looked where the point had been nearly sawed off all 
round.” 

“ What, to make it break off ? ” cried Rob. 

“ That’s so, my lad. When they’re going to use n arrow 
they put the point between the teeth of a little fish’s jaw 
— sort o’ pirana thing like them here in the river. Then they 
give the arrow a twiddle round, and the sharp teeth nearly 
eat it through, and when it hits and sticks in a wound the 
point breaks off, and I wouldn’t give much for any one who 
ever got one of those bits of sharp wood in their skins.” 

“ What a pleasant look-out ! ” said Brazier. 

“ Oh, it’s right enough, sir. The thing is to go up parts 
where there are no Indians, and that’s where I’m going to 
take you. I say, look at that open patch yonder, where 
there’s a bit o’ green between the river and the trees.” 

“Yes, I see,” said Joe quickly — “ three Indians with 
spears.” 


5 2 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ Right, lad ! ” 

“ I don’t see them,” said Brazier. “ Yes,” he added 
quickly, “ I can see them now.” 

“ Only one ain’t got a spear. “ That’s a blowpipe,” said 
Shaddy quietly. 

“ What ! that length ! ” cried Rob. 

“ Ay, my lad, that length. The longer they are the smaller 
the darts, and the farther and stronger they send ’em.” 

“ But we don’t know that they are enemies,” said Brazier. 

“ Oh yes, you do, sir. That’s the Injuns’ country, and 
there’s no doubt of it. White man’s their enemy, they say, so 
they must be ours.” 

“ But why ? ” said Rob. “ We shouldn’t interfere with the 
Indians.” 

“ We’ve got a bad character with ’em, my lad. ’Tain’t our 
fault. They tell me it’s all along o’ the Spaniards as come 
in this country first, and made slaves of ’em, and learnt ’em 
to make ’em 'good, and set ’em to work in the mines 
to get gold and silver for ’em till they dropped and died. 
Only savages they were, and so I s’pose the Spaniards 
thought they were o’ no consequence. But somehow I 
s’pose, red as they are, they think and feel like white people, 
and didn’t like to be robbed and beaten, and worn to death, 
and their children took away from ’em. Spaniards never 
seemed to think as they’d mind that. Might ha’ known, too, 
for a cat goes miawing about a house if she loses her kittens, 
and a dog kicks up a big howl about its pups ; while my 
’sperience about wild beasts is that if you want to meddle 
with their young ones, you’d better shoot the old ones first.” 

“Yes, I’m afraid that the old Spaniards thought of nothing 
out here but getting gold.” 

“ That’s so, sir ; and the old Indians telled their children 
about how they’d been used, and their children told the next 
lot, and so it’s gone on till it’s grown into a sort of religion 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


53 

that the Spaniard is a sort o’ savage wild beast, who ought 
to be killed ; and that ain’t the worst on it.” 

“ Then what is ? ” said Rob, for Shaddy looked round at 
him and stopped short, evidently to be asked that question. 

“Why, the worst of it is, sir, as they poor hungered, 
savage sort o’ chaps don’t know the difference between us 
and them Dons. English means an Englishman all the wide 
world over, says you ; but you’re wrong. He ain’t out here. 
Englishman, or Italian, or Frenchman’s a Spaniard ; and 
they’ll shoot us as soon as look at us.” 

“Why, you’re making for the other shore, Naylor.” 

“ Yes, sir. I’d ha’ liked to land you yonder, but you see it 
ain’t safe, so we’ll light a fire on the other side, where it is, 
and get a bit o’ breakfast, for I’m thinking as it’s getting 
pretty nigh time.” 

“ But is it safe to land there ? ” asked Brazier. 

“ Yes, sir ; you may take that for granted. East’s sit down 
and be comfortable ; west side o’ the river means eyes wide 
open and look out for squalls.” 

“ But you meant to go up some river west.” 

“ True, sir ; but you leave that to me.” 

As they began to near the eastern shore, where the land 
was more park-like and open, the wind began to fail them, 
and the sail flapped, when the four boatmen, who had been 
lying about listlessly, leaped up, lowered it down, and then, 
seizing the oars, began to row with a long, steady stroke. 
Then Shaddy stood up, peering over the canvas awning, and 
looking eagerly for a suitable place for their morning halt, 
and ending by running the boat alongside of a green meadow- 
like patch, where the bank, only a couple of feet above the 
water level, was perpendicular, and the spot was surrounded 
by huge trees, out of one of which flew a flock of parrots, 
screaming wildly, while sundry sounds and rustlings in that 
nearest the water’s edge proved that it was inhabited. 


54 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ What’s up there ? ” whispered Rob to Joe as he looked 
“ Think it’s a great snake ? ” 

“ No,” was the reply. “ Look ! ” and the captain’s son 
pointed up to where, half hidden by the leaves, a curious 
little black face peered wonderingly down at them ; and di- 
rectly after Rob made out one after another, till quite a dozen 
were visible, the last hanging from a bough like some curious 
animal fruit by its long stalk, which proved to be the little 
creature’s prehensile tail, by which it swung with its arms and 
legs drawn up close. 

“ Monkeys ! ” cried Rob eagerly, for it was his first meeting 
with the odd little objects in their native wilds. 

“ Yes ; they swarm in the forests,” said Joe, who was 
amused at his companion’s wondering looks. 

Just then Shaddy leaped ashore with a rope, after carefully 
seeing to the fastening of the other end. 

“ May as well give you gents a hint,” he said : “ never to 
trust nobody about your painter. It’s just as well to use 
two, for if so be as the boat does break loose, away she goes 
down stream, and you’re done, for there’s no getting away 
from here. You can’t tramp far through the forest.” 

He moored the boat to one of the trees, gave a few orders, 
and the Indian boatmen rapidly collected dead wood and 
started a fire, Shaddy filling the tin kettle and swinging it 
gipsy fashion. 

“ I’d start fair at once, gentlemen,” he said. “ One never 
knows what’s going to happen, and I take it that you ought 
to carry your gun always just as you wouid an umbrella at 
home, and have it well loaded at your side, ready for any 
action. Plenty of smoke ! ” he continued as the clouds began 
to roll up through the dense branches of the tree over- 
head. 

The result was a tremendous chattering and screaming 
amongst the monkeys, which bounded excitedly from branch 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


55 

to branch, shaking the twigs and breaking off dead pieces to 
throw down. 

“ Hi ! stop that little ones ! ” roared Shaddy. “ Two can 
play at that game. It ain’t your tree ; be off to another, or 
we’ll make rabbit pie o’ some on you.” 

Whether the little creatures understood or no, they chat- 
tered loudly for a few moments more, and then, running to 
the end of a branch, which bent beneath their weight, they 
dropped to the ground, and galloped off to the next tree, each 
with his peculiar curling tail high in air. 

The guide’s advice was taken respecting the pieces, and, 
in addition to his cartridge-pouch, each mounted a strong 
hunting-knife, one that, while being handy for chopping wood 
or cutting a way through creepers and tangling vines, would 
prove a formidable weapon of offence or defence against the 
attack of any wild animal. 

“ That’s your sort,” said Shaddy, smiling as he saw Rob 
step out of the boat with his piece under his arm. “ Puts 
me in mind of handling my first gun, when I was ’bout 
your age, sir, or a bit older. No, no, don’t carry it that way, 
my lad ; keep your muzzle either right up or right down.” 

“ Well, that is down,” said Rob pettishly, for he felt con- 
scious, and wanted to appear quite at ease and as if he was 
in the habit of carrying a rifle ; consequently he looked 
as if he had never had hold of one before in his life. 

“ Ay, it’s down enough to put a bullet in anybody’s knees.” 

“ No, it isn’t, Shaddy, for it’s a shot-gun, and has no bullet 
in it.” 

“ I know, lad, one o’ them useful guns with a left-hand bore 
as’ll carry a bullet if you like. More down. Wound close 
at hand from charge o’ shot’s worse than one from a 
bullet.” 

“ Because it makes so many wounds ? ” said Rob. 

“ Nay, my lad ; because at close quarters it only makes 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


5 6 

one, and a big, ragged one that’s bad to heal. That’s better. 
Now, if it goes off it throws up the earth and shoots the worms, 
while if you hold it well up it only shoots the stars. — Water 
boils.” 

Breakfast followed — a delightful al fresco meal, with the 
silver river gliding by, birds twittering, piping, screaming, and 
cooing all around, and monkeys chattering and screeching ex- 
citedly at having their sanctuary invaded ; but they were quite 
tame enough to drop down from the trees and pick up a piece of 
biscuit, banana, or orange when thrown far enough. But 
this was not till they felt satisfied that they were not being 
watched, when the coveted treasure was seized and borne off 
with a chattering cry of triumph, the actions of the odd little 
creatures taking up a good deal of Rob’s time which might 
have been devoted to his breakfast. 

The travellers had brought plenty of fruit and provisions 
with them, and an ample supply of matt — the leaves that 
take the place of tea amongst the South American tribes, 
whose example is largely followed by the half-breeds and 
those of Spanish descent ; and after watching how the 
preparation was made Rob found himself quite ready to 
partake of that which proved, on tasting, to be both palat- 
able and refreshing. 

Then, somewhat unwillingly — for both Brazier and the 
lads were disposed to stay on shore to collect some of the 
natural objects so plentiful around them — they re-entered 
the boat ; it was pulled into mid-stream, with the monkeys 
flocking down from the trees about the fire to pick up any 
scraps of food left, notably a couple of decayed bananas, 
and then running quite to the edge of the water to chatter 
menacingly at the departing boat. 

The sail was soon after hoisted, and for the whole of 
that day and the next the little party ascended the river, 
making their halts on the right bank, but sleeping well 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


57 

out in the stream, held by a rope mooring the boat’s head 
to a tree, and a little anchor dropped in the stream. 

Progress was fairly swift, and there was so much to see 
along the banks that the time glided by rapidly; but at 
every cry of exultation on the discovery of some fresh 
bird, flower, or insect, Shaddy only smiled good-humoredly, 
and used the same expression : — 

“ Yes ; but just you wait a bit.” 

The third day had passed, and the conversation in the 
boat threatened a revolution against the will of Shaddy, 
whose aim seemed to be to get them up higher, while they 
were passing endless opportunities for making collections of 
objects of natural history such as they had never had before, 
when all at once, as he stood in the boat looking up stream, 
after she had once more been carefully moored for the night, 
the guide turned and said quietly : — 

“ To-morrow, long before the sun’s highest, I shall get 
you up to the place I mean, and, once there, you can begin 
business as soon as you like.” 

“ A river on the left bank,” said Brazier as eagerly as a 
boy. 

“Yes, sir, one as runs for far enough west, and then goes 
north.” 

“ And you think there are no Indians there ? ” 

“ I don’t say that, sir, because we shall see some, I dare- 
say; but they’ll perhaps be friendly.” 

“ You are not sure ? ” 

“ Well, no, sir. There, the sun’s dipping down ; it will 
be heavy darkness directly in this fog, and what we want is a 
good night’s rest, ready for a long, hard day’s work to-mor- 
row.” 

It was Brazier’s turn to keep watch half the night, and 
at about twelve, as nearly as they could tell, Rob rose to 
take his place. 


ss 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“Nothing to report,” said Brazier. “The same noises 
from the forest, the same splashings from the river, the In- 
dians sleeping as heavily as usual. There, keep your watch ; 
I wish I had it, for you will see the day break that is to take 
us to the place which I have been longing to see for years.” 

Saying “ Good-night,” Brazier went into the shelter, and 
Rob commenced his solitary watch, with his brain busily 
inventing all kinds of dangers arising from the darkness — 
some horrible wild creature dropping down from the tree, 
or a huge serpent, which had crawled down the branch, 
twining its way along the mooring rope and coming over the 
bows past the Indian boatmen. Then he began to think of 
them, and how helpless he would be if they planned to at- 
tack him ; and then, after mastering him, which he felt they 
could easily do, he mentally arranged that they would creep 
to the covered-in part of the boat and slay Brazier and Gio- 
vanni. 

“Poor Joe!” he said to himself. “I was beginning to 

like him, though he was not English, and Oh, Joe, how 

you startled me ! ” 

For a hand had been laid upon his shoulder as he sat 
watching the dark part where the Indians lay, and he started 
round to find that Giovanni had joined him. 

“ I did not mean to frighten you,” said the lad, in his 
quiet, subdued way. “ Mr. Brazier woke me coming in to 
sleep, and I thought you would be alone, and that I could 
come and talk to you about our journey to-morrow.” 

“ I’m glad you’ve come, but it would be too bad to let you 
stop. There, stay a quarter of an hour, and then be off back 
to bed — such as it is,” he added with a laugh. 

“ Oh, I’m used to hard beds. I can sleep anywhere — on 
the deck or a bench, one as well as the other.” 

“ I say, have you ever been up as high as this before ? ” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 59 

“ No, never higher than the town. It’s all as fresh to me 
as to you.” 

“ Then we go up a river to-morrow ? ” 

“ I suppose so. Old Shaddy has it all his own way, and 
he keeps dropping hints about what he is going to take us to 
see.” 

“ And I daresay it will all turn out nothing. What he likes 
may not suit us. But there, we shall see.” 

Then they sat in silence, listening to the rustlings and 
whistlings in the air as of birds and great moths flitting and 
gliding about ; the shrieks, howls, and yells from across the 
river ; and to the great plungings and splashings in the black 
water, whose star-gemmed bosom often showed waves with 
the bright reflections rising and falling, and the surface 
looked as if the fire-flies had fallen in all up the river after 
their giddy evolutions earlier in the night, and were now 
floating down rapidly towards the sea. 

Rob broke the silence at last. 

“ How is it this stream always runs so fast ? ” he said. 

“ Because the waters come from the mountains. There’s a 
great waterfall, too, higher up, where the whole river comes 
plunging down hundreds of feet with a roar that can be heard 
for miles.” 

“ Who says so ? who has seen it ? ” 

“ Nobody ever has seen it. It is impossible to get to it. 
The water is so swift and full of rocks that no boat can row 
up, and the shores are all one dank, tangled mass that no 
one can cut through. Nobody can get there.” 

“ Why not ? I tell you what : we’ll talk to Shaddy to- 
morrow.” 

“ He wouldn’t go. He told me once that he tried it twice, 
and couldn’t get there. He nearly lost his life once.” 

“ I’ll make him try again and take us.” 

“ I tell you he wouldn’t,” 


6o 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ Well, you’ll see.” 

“ What will you do ? ” 

“ Tell him — fair play, mind : you will not speak ? ” 

“ Of course not.” 

“ Then look here, Joe ; I’ll say to him that I’ve heard of 
the place, and how difficult it is, and that I wish we had 
some guide who really knew the country and could take us 
there.” 

Joe shook his head. 

“ Besides, we could not attempt it without Mr. Brazier 
wished to go.” 

“ If you told him about that great fall, he would wish to go 
for the sake of being the discoverer. You’ll see. What’s 
that ? ” 

A tremendous splash, so near to them that quite a wave 
rose and slightly rocked the boat as the boys sat there awe- 
stricken, listening and straining their eyes in the darkness 
which shut them in. 

The noise occurred again — a great splash as of some 
mighty beast rearing itself out of the water and letting itself 
fall back, followed by a peculiar, wallowing noise. 

This time it was lower and more as though it had passed 
the boat, and directly after there was another splash, followed 
by a heavy beating as if something were thrashing the water 
with its tail. Then came a smothered, bellowing grunt as if 
the great animal had begun to roar and then lowered its 
head half beneath the water, so that the noise was full of 
curious gurglings. The flapping of the water was repeated, 
and this time forty or fifty yards away, as near as they could 
guess, and once more silence. 

“ I didn’t know there were such horrible beasts as that in 
the water,” whispered Rob. 

“ Nor I. What can it be ? ” 

“ Must have been big enough to upset the boat if it had 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


61 


seen us, or to drag us out. Shall we wake Shaddy and ask 
him ? ” 

“ No,” said Joe ; “ I don’t suppose he would be able to 
tell us. It sounds so horrible in the darkness.” 

u Why I thought you were too much used to the river to 
be frightened at anything.” 

“ I did not say I was frightened,” replied Joe quietly. 

“ No, but weren’t you ? I thought the thing was coming 
on right at the boat.” 

“ So did I,” said Joe, very softly. “ Yes, I was frightened 
too. I don’t think any one could help being startled at a 
thing like that.” 

u Because we could not see what it was,” he continued 
thoughtfully. “ I fancied I knew all the animals and fish 
about the river, but I never heard or saw anything that 
could be like that.” 

Just then they heard a soft, rustling sound behind, such 
as might have been made by a huge serpent creeping on to 
the boat ; and as they listened intently the sound continued, 
and the boat swayed slightly, going down on one side. 

“ It’s coming on,” whispered Rob, with his mouth feeling 
dry and a horrible dread assailing him, as in imagination he 
saw a huge scaly creature gliding along the side of the boat 
and passing the covered-in canvas cabin. 

It was only a matter of moments, but it was like hours to 
the two boys. The feeling was upon Rob that he must run 
to the fore part, leap overboard, and swim ashore, but he 
could not move. Every nerve and muscle was paralyzed, 
and when he tried to speak to his fellow-watcher no words 
came ; for, as Joe told his companion afterwards, he too 
tried to speak but was as helpless. 

At last, in that long-drawn agony of dread, as he fully 
expected to be seized, Rob’s presence of mind came back, 
and he recollected that his gun was lying shotted beneath 


62 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


the canvas of the sail at the side, and, seizing it with the 
energy of despair, he swung the piece round, cocking both 
barrels as he did so, and brought them into sharp contact 
with Joe’s arm. 

“ Steady there with that gun,” said a low familiar voice. 
“ Don’t shoot.” 

“ Shaddy ! ” panted Rob. 

“ Me it is, lad. I crep’ along so as not to disturb Mr. 
Brazier. I say, did you hear that roar in the water ? — but 
of course you did. Know what it was ? ” 

“ No ! ” cried both boys in a breath. — “ Some great kind 
of amphibious thing,” added Rob. 

“ ’Phibious thing ! — no. I couldn’t see it, but there was 
no doubt about it : that threshing with the tail told me.” 

“ Yes, we heard its tail beating,” said Joe quickly. “ What 
was it ? ” 

“What was them, you mean ! Well, I’ll tell you. One of 
them tapir things must have been wading about in a shallow 
of mud, and a great ’gator got hold of him, and once he’d 
got hold he wouldn’t let go, but hung on to the poor brute 
and kept on trying to drag him under water. Horrid things, 
’gators. I should like to shoot the lot.” 

Rob drew a long breath very like a sigh. An alligator 
trying to drag down one of the ugly, old-world creatures that 
look like a pig who has made up his mind to grow into an 
elephant, and failed — like the frog in the fable, only without 
going quite so far — after getting his upper lip sufficiently 
elongated to do some of the work performed by an elephant’s 
trunk. One of these jungle swamp pachyderms and a reptile 
engaged in a struggle in the river, and not some terrible 
water-dragon with a serpent-like tail such as Rob’s imagin- 
ation had built up with the help of pictures of fossil animals 
and impossible objects from heraldry. It took all nervous- 
ness and mystery out of the affair, and made Rob feel 


THE GRAND CHACO. 63 

annoyed that he had allowed his imagination to run riot and 
create such an alarming scene. 

“ Getting towards morning, isn’t it ? ” said Joe hastily, and 
in a tone which told of his annoyance, too, that he also 
should have participated in the scare. 

“ Getting that way, lad, I s’pose. I ain’t quite doo to re- 
lieve the watch, but I woke up and got thinking a deal about 
our job to-morrow, and that made me wakeful. And then 
there was that splashing and bellowing in the water, and I 
thought Mr. Rob here would be a bit puzzled to know what 
it was. Course I knew he wouldn’t be frightened.” 

“None of your sneering!” said Rob frankly. “I’m not 
ashamed to say that I was frightened, and very much fright- 
ened, too. It was enough to scare any one who did not 
know what it was.” 

“ Right, my lad ! enough to scare anybody ! ” said Shaddy, 
patting Rob on the shoulder. “ It made me a bit squeery 
for a moment or two till I knew what it was. But, I say, 
when I came softly along to keep you company, you warn’t 
going to shoot ? ” 

“ I’m afraid I was,” said Rob. “ It sounded just like 
some horrible great snake creeping along toward us out of 
the darkness.” 

“ Then I’m glad I spoke,” said Shaddy drily. “ Spoiled 
your trip, lad, if you’d shot me, for I must have gone over- 
board, and if I’d come up again I don’t b’leeve as you’d have 
picked me up. Taken ever so long to get the boat free in 
the dark, and if you hadn’t picked me up I don’t see how 
you could have got on in the jungle. Look here, now you 
two gents have taken to gunning, I wouldn’t shoot if I were 
you without asking a question or two first.” 

“ But suppose it is a jaguar coming at us ? ” said Joe. 

“ Well, if it’s a jagger he won’t answer, and you had better 
shoot. Same with the lions or bears.” 


64 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ Bears ? ” said Rob eagerly ; “ are there bears here ? ” 

“ Ay, lad ! and plenty of ’em; not your big Uncle Ephrems, 
like there is in the Rocky Mountains — grizzlies, you know — 
but black bears, and pretty big, and plenty savage enough to 
satisfy any reasonable hunter, I mean one who don’t expect 
too much. Wait a bit, and you’ll get plenty of shooting to 
keep the pot going without reckoning them other things as 
Mr. Brazier’s come out to hunt. What d’yer call ’em, 
awk’ards or orchards — which was it ? ” 

“ Orchids,” said Rob. 

“ Oh ! ah ! yes, orchids. What’s best size shot for bring- 
ing o’ them down ? ” 

“ Don’t answer him, Rob ; it’s only his gammon, and he 
thinks it’s witty,” said Joe. 

Shaddy chuckled, and it was evident that his joke amused 
him. 

“ There,” he said, “ it ain’t worth while for three on us to 
be keeping watch. One’s enough, and the others can sleep, 
so, as I’m here, you two may as well go and roost.” 

“ No,” said Rob promptly ; “ my time isn’t up.” 

“ No, my lad, not by two hours, I should say ; but I’ll let 
you off the rest, for it’s a-many years since I was up this 
part, and I want to sit and think it out before we start as 
soon as it’s light.” 

But Rob firmly refused to give up his task till the time set 
down by Mr. Brazier for him to be relieved. Joe as stub- 
bornly refused to return to his bed, and so it was that when 
the birds gave note of the coming of the day, after the weird 
chorus had gradually died away in the forest, they were still 
seated upon one of the thwarts, watching for the first warm 
rays of the sun to tinge the dense river mist with rose. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


65 


CHAPTER VI. 

A CURIOUS RIVER. 

A fair breeze sprang up with the sun, and the boat glided 
up stream for many miles before a halt was called in a bend 
where the wind failed them. Here, as on previous occasions, 
a fire was lit, and the breakfast prepared and eaten almost 
in silence, for Brazier’s thoughts were far up the river and 
away among the secret recesses of nature, where he hoped 
to be soon gazing upon vegetation never yet seen by civilized 
man, while Rob and Joe were just as thoughtful, though their 
ideas ran more upon the wild beasts and lovely birds of this 
tropic land, into which, as they penetrated mile after mile, it 
was to see something ever fresh and attractive. 

Shaddy, too, was very silent, and sat scanning the western 
shore more and more attentively as the hours passed, and 
they were once more gliding up stream, the wind serving 
again and again as they swept round some bend. 

The sun grew higher, and the heat more intense, the slight- 
est movement as they approached noon making a dew break 
out over Rob’s brow ; but the warmth was forgotten in the 
beauty of the shore and the abundance of life visible 
around. 

But at last the heat produced such a sense of drowsiness 
that Rob turned to Joe. 

“ I say, wouldn’t an hour or two be nice under the shade 
of a tree ? ” 

“ Yes,” said Brazier, who had overheard him. “ We must 
have a rest now ; the sides of the boat are too hot to touch. 

5 


66 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


Hullo ! where are we going ? ” he continued. “ Why, he’s 
steering straight for the western shore.” 

Brazier involuntarily stooped and took his gun from where 
it hung in loops under the canvas awning, and then stood 
watching the dense wall of verdure they were approaching 
till, as they drew nearer, their way was through acres upon 
acres of lilies, whose wide-spreading leaves literally covered 
the calm river with their dark green discs, dotted here and 
there with great buds or dazzlingly white blossoms. 

The boat cut its way through these, leaving a narrow 
canal of clear water at first, in which fish began to leap as if 
they had been disturbed ; but before they had gone very far 
the leaves gradually closed in, and no sign of the passage of 
the boat was left. 

“ I don’t see where we are to land,” said Brazier as he 
stood in front of the canvas cabin scanning the shore. 

“ No ; there is no place,” said Rob, as they glided now out 
of the lily field into clear water, the great wall of trees tangled 
together with creepers being now about two hundred yards 
away; 4 " * 

“ Go and ask. No ; leave him alone,” said Brazier, 
altering his mind. “ He’ll take us into a suitable place, I 
daresay.” 

Just then Shaddy, from where he was steering, shouted to 
the men, who lowered the sail at once ; but the boat still 
glided on straight for the shore. 

“ Why, he’s going to run her head right into the bank,” 
cried Rob, though the said bank was rendered invisible by 
the curtain of pendent boughs and vines which hung right 
down to the water. 

“ How beautiful ! ” exclaimed Brazier as he gazed at clus- 
ters of snowy blossoms draping one of the trees. “We must 
have some of those, Rob.” 

“ I say,” cried Joe, “ what makes the boat keep on going ? ” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


67 


“ Impetus given by the sail,” replied Brazier. 

“ But it couldn’t have kept on all this time,” cried the lad, 
“ and we’re going faster.” 

“ We do seem to be,” said Brazier ; “but it is only that we 
are in an eddy. There always is one close in by the banks 
of a swift stream.” 

“ But that goes upward while the stream goes down,” cried 
Joe. “ This is going straight in toward the trees.” 

“ Better sit down, every one,” shouted Shaddy. “ Lower 
that spar, my lads,” he added, in the patois the men used. 

Down went the mast in a sloping position, so that it rested 
against the canvas cabin. But Rob hardly noticed this in 
the excitement of their position. For there was no doubt 
about it : some invisible force had apparently seized the 
boat, and was carrying it swiftly forward to dash it upon the 
shore. 

But that was not Brazier’s view of the question. 

“ The river is flooded here and overrunning the bank,” 
he cried. “ Hi ! Naylor ! Do you see where you’re 
going ? ” 

“ Right, sir. Sit down.” 

But Brazier, who had risen, did not sit down, for he was 
quite startled, expecting that the next moment the boat 
would be capsized, and that they would all be left to the 
mercy of the reptiles and fish which haunted the rapid 
waters. 

“ Hi ! ” he shouted again. “ Naylor, are you mad ? ” 

“ No, sir, not yet,” was the reply. “ Better sit down. 
Mind your hat ! ” 

For all through this the boat was gliding slowly but straight 
for the curtain of leaves and flowers which hid the bank of 
the western side of the river ; and as the position seemed 
perilous to Rob, he saw with astonishment that the four 
Indian boatmen lay calmly back, furling up the sail as if 


68 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


nothing was the matter, or else showing that they had perfect 
faith in their leader and steersman who was not likely to lead 
them into danger. 

What followed only took moments. Th^ey were out in the 
dazzling sunshine, were rapidly, as it seemed, approaching 
the bank, and directly after plunged right into the lovely 
curtain of leaves and flowers which swept over them as they 
glided on over the surface of the swiftly running clear black 
water, the sun entirely screened and all around them a deli- 
cious twilight, with densely planted, tall, columnar trees 
apparently rising out of the flood on either hand, while a 
rush and splash here and there told that they were disturbing 
some of the dwellers in these shades. 

“ What does this mean ? ” said Brazier, stooping to recover 
his hat which had been swept off on to the canvas awning, 
and which he only just recovered before it slipped into the 
stream. 

There was no answer to the question as they watched, and 
then they saw light before them, which rapidly brightened 
till they glided into sunshine and found that they had passed 
through a second curtain of leaves, and were in a little river 
of some hundred yards wide, with lovely verdure on either 
side rising like some gigantic hedge to shut them in ; in fact, 
a miniature reproduction of the grand stream they had so 
lately left. 

“ Why, Naylor,” cried Brazier, “ I thought you were going 
to run us ashore or capsize us.” 

“ Yes, sir, I know you did,” was the reply. 

“ But where are we ? What place is this ? ” 

“ This here’s the river I wanted to bring you to, sir.” 

“ But it does not run into the Paraguay, it runs out.” 

“ Yes, sir, it do. It’s a way it has. It’s a curious place, 
as you’ll say before we’ve done.” 

“ But it seems impossible. How can it run like this ? ” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


69 

“ Dunno, sir. Natur’ made it, not me. I’ve never been 
up it very far, but it strikes me it’s something to do with the 
big waterworks higher up the big river.” 

“ Waterworks ! Why, surely ” 

“ Natur’s waterworks, sir, not man’s ; the big fall’s many 
miles to the north.” 

Rob and Joe exchanged glances. 

“ Strikes me as the river being very full here the bank give 
way once upon a time, and this stream winds about till it 
gets close up to where the falls come down.” 

“ But water can’t go up hill, man.” 

“ No, sir, course not ; but I thought that if it goes along 
some valley up to the mountains where the falls come down, 
it would be an easy way of getting to the foot of the moun- 
tains and striking the big river again.” 

“ Stop a moment : I have heard some talk of a great cas- 
cade up north.” 

“ Yes, sir, where nobody’s never been yet. Seemed to me 
as it was rather in your way, and you might find some orchids 
up there as well as here.” 

“ Of course, of course ! ” cried Brazier ; the idea of being 
first in the field with a great discovery making his pulses 
throb. “ Tell me all about it.” 

“ Right, sir, when we’ve had something to eat. It’s ’bout 
twelve o’clock, and here’s a shady place, so if you give 
the word we’ll land and cook a bit. Place looks noo, don’t 
it, sir ? ” 

“ New, Naylor ! I can never thank you enough.” 

“ Don’t try then, sir,” said Shaddy, steering the boat in, 
and with the help of the boatmen laying it ashore close to 
some huge trees. “• Now we shall have to make her fast, for 
if our boat gets loose the stream will carry her where nobody 
will ever find her again.” 

“ I can’t understand it,” said Brazier impatiently, as the 


70 


THE GRAND CHACO . 


Indians leaped ashore, one to make a rope fast, the others 
to light a fire ; “ this stream running out of the main river is 
contrary to nature, unless where it divides at its mouth.” 

“ Not it, sir ; it’s right enough. Right down south in the 
Parana the river does it lots of times, for the waters there 

are like a big net all over the land, and 1 say, Mr. Rob, 

sir, where’s your gun ? There’s a carpincho just yonder 
among them reeds. Try for it, sir ; we can manage with it 
for a bit o’ roast and boiled.” 

Rob seized the piece, and Shaddy landed and pointed 
out the spot where he was to fire and hit the beast in the 
shoulder, but just then they were interrupted by a hideous 
yell. 


THE GRAND CHACO . 


71 


CHAPTER VII. 

THE JAGUAR. 

The cry, which thrilled Rob and made Brazier and the 
young Italian seize their weapons, came from one of the 
Indians, who, axe in hand, had been about to cut up a dead 
bough he had seized for the fire, when something dark struck 
him in the chest, sending him backward amongst the low 
growth, and a magnificent cat-like animal bounded into the 
middle of the opening, driving the boatmen among the trees 
and taking up its position in the bright sunshine, with its 
coat glistening and the brown spots on its tawny hide shining 
with almost metallic lustre. 

And there it stood, with its ears lowered and eyes blazing, 
looking from one to another of the occupants of the boat, 
and from them to Shaddy, who, knife in hand, stood his 
ground, while the brute’s tail writhed and twisted as if it were 
a serpent. 

“ Hadn’t one of you better shoot ? ” said Shaddy calmly. 
“ He’s too much for me with only a knife.” 

Just then the Indian who had been knocked down began 
to crawl cautiously toward the trees. 

The movement was enough for the jaguar. It was the cat 
again that had stricken down a mouse standing perfectly 
careless till the unfortunate little animal begins to stir. The 
fierce beast turned, gathered itself together, and was about 
to launch itself upon the boatman in one tremendous bound, 
when simultaneously there was a sharp click from Brazier s 
gun, but with no further result, for he had drawn the trigger of 


7 2 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


his rifled barrel in which there was no cartridge, and a sharp 
slap on the loins as Shaddy hurled his knife with unerring 
aim at the savage beast. 

The jaguar turned with a fierce snarl and struck the 
knife from where it stuck in its back. Then, seeing in 



Shaddy its assailant, it crouched again 
to bound upon the guide. 

Once again its aim was spoiled ; for with fingers trem- 
bling Rob had cocked his piece and taken aim, being about 
to fire when the knife was thrown ; but the rapid movement 
of the animal checked him till it crouched and he saw it 
about to spring upon Shaddy. 

This time he pressed the stock firmly to his shoulder, 
and, taking aim at the jaguar’s head, fired twice, the first 
charge taking effect full in the creature’s back, and, as it 
sprang up, the second in its flank. 

With a fierce howl it twisted itself round and bit at the 
side, tearing out the glossy fur in its rage and pain. Then 
turning sharply it looked round for its assailant, when Joe’s 
piece rang out, the bad powder with which it was heavily 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


73 


loaded making a cloud of dense smoke which prevented Rob 
from seeing for a few moments, and when it rose the jaguar 
had gone. 

They all busied themselves reloading now, but there was 
no animal to shoot, and Shaddy was in the act of picking up 
his knife, wiping its point carefully on his trousers as he 
straightened himself. 

“Which way did it go ?” cried Brazier. 

“Yonder, sir, through the trees. But it’s of no use for 
you to follow.” 

“ It must be dangerously wounded.” 

“ Not it, sir ; only a bit tickled. That was only bird shot 
you fired, was it, my lads ? ” 

“ No. 5,” said Rob promptly. 

“ Thought so. Best keep a bullet always in your guns, 
gentlemen, out here, for you never know what’s going to turn 
up next.” 

The Indians were back now, going about picking wood 
for the fire as if nothing whatever had happened. 

“ But that man,” whispered Rob ; “ isn’t he hurt — clawed ? ” 

“ No, sir,” replied Shaddy calmly ; and he asked a question 
of the man in the mixed Indian tongue. Then turning to 
Brazier, “ Only got the wind knocked out of him a bit, sir. 
No clawing. He don’t mind.” 

“ But the brute may come back,” said Rob. 

“ Well, Mr. Rob, sir, if he do he’s a bigger fool than I 
take him to be. No, there’ll be no coming back about him. 
Just while he was up he was ready to fly at anything, but 
every one of them little shot will make a sore place which it 
will take him a fortnight to lick quite well again. I daresay 
they’re all lying just under his skin.” 

“ And what a skin ! ” cried Rob. “ You could have got it 
off and cured it for me, couldn’t you?” 

“ Oh yes, or these chaps here, sir ; but if you wants tiger 


74 


THE GRAND CHACO . 


jackets you mustn’t try to kill them as wears ’em with No. 5 
shot. — Now, lads, more wood,” and a good fire was soon 
burning, over which the kettle was hung. 

A meal was quickly prepared, but Shaddy indulged in a 
bit of a growl over it. 

“ And me ’specting pork chops frizzled over that fire on 
the iron sheet,” he said. “ Why it wouldn’t have been no 
good, my lad, going about with a pinch of lead snuff in your 
gun. You want something like small marbles out here, I 
can tell you, or good buck shot. You’ll mind that next 
time.” 

“ But I want to get some of the birds we see,” said Rob, 
in tones of remonstrance. 

“ That’s right, sir ; but keep one barrel always for play and 
one for work. I don’t want to make too much of it, but in a 
country like this it must be dangerous sometimes.” 

“ He is quite right, Rob,” said Brazier. “ He is giving 
you a lesson, but he means some of it for me. Don’t you, 
Naylor?” 

“ Well, sir,” said Shaddy grimly, “ I ’spose you’d like the 
honest truth ? ” 

“ Of course.” 

“ Then I’ll tell you what I said to myself. How a gentle- 
man at his time o’ life could leave his weepun as ought to be 
ready for action, without a good bullet for wild beast or 
Indian, I can’t think.” 

“ I have learned my lesson, Naylor,” said Brazier, “ and 
you shall not have an opportunity for reproaching me again.” 

“ And you ain’t offended, sir ? In course I’m only like your 
servant.” 

“ Give me credit for more sense, my man. — You take it to 
heart, too — both of you, and keep a bullet in your left-hand 
barrel.” 

“For food or enemy,” said Shaddy in his deep growl. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 75 

“ But that’s what I meant to do. I thought I had loaded 
that way,” said Rob. 

“ Hah — hoo ! ” ejaculated one of the Indians who was 
standing with his arms full of wood close to the spot where 
the jaguar had disappeared. 

“ What’s the matter, my lad ? ” said Shaddy, joining him 
with the others, when an eager burst of conversation ensued. 

“ They say as the tiger’s lying wounded not far in among 
the trees. Bring your guns, gentlemen.” 

The pieces were eagerly raised and cartridges examined, 
so that there should be no further mistake, and then, with the 
Indian who was knocked down as a guide, Brazier next with 
Shaddy, who contented himself with his knife, and then Rob 
and Joe and the rest of the Indians, the party entered the 
forest, which was so dense that they soon had to take to Indian 
file. 

But they had not far to go, and in spite of the danger that 
might be ahead the leading Indian proved that Shaddy’s 
selection was a good one, for he went straight on, cutting right 
and left with his heavy knife to divide the growth that was in 
their way. 

And so on for about fifty yards, when he stopped short and 
said a few words to Shaddy. 

“Yes. Get back,” said the latter, after listening. “ Now 
two guns forward ; but I think he has had enough as it is ! ” 

“ Be careful, man ! ” said Brazier anxiously ; “ you are 
unarmed.” 

“ Not quite, sir ! ” said Shaddy, showing his big knife. 
“ If he jumps on me he’ll jump right on to that point, and if he 
does, though he may claw me, it will be his last leap. Silence ! ’’ 

They all listened, Rob hearing the shriek of some great 
parrot and the dull heavy throb of his heart, but from out of 
the dense growth a little way ahead he could make out a gur- 
gling mpan. 


7 6 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


Shaddy gave him a look and a nod. 

“ No, my lad,” he said, “ that isn’t a frog, nor anything 
else, but some animal as has got his death. It’s either that 
tiger, or else it’s a deer he has pulled down on his way. I’ll 
go and see.” 

• “ Let me,” said Brazier ; “ and if it is only wounded I can 
fire again.” 

“ Powder and shot’s valuable out here, sir,” said Shaddy, 
“ and we mustn’t waste a single charge. Stand fast, and if I 
want help come and give it to me ; but I shan’t.” 

He parted the bushes and creepers with his left hand, hold- 
ing his knife well before him with the right ; but before he 
had gone six yards with great caution there was a horrible 
cry, and a sound as of a struggle going on — a sound which 
made Rob press forward and thrust the barrel of his gun in 
front of Brazier. 

“ Has he got hold of Shaddy ? ” he panted, with a chill of 
horror running through him. 

“No, my lad ; I’m all right — it’s all over,” cried the guide, 
as the sound ceased. “ Ah ! I can see him plain now : quite 
dead.” 

“ A deer,” said Brazier, eagerly. 

“ Deer don’t make a noise like that, sir,” said Joe from 
behind. 

“ Nay, it’s no deer,” said Shaddy ; “ I’ll let you see what 
it is. Hi ! ” he called ; and the Indians crowded past through 
the dense growth, went boldly right to the front, and Shaddy 
reappeared smiling. 

“ Back again,” he said ; “ they’ll bring him along.” 

Rob turned back unwillingly, for he was eager to see what 
the dead animal might be, Shaddy’s mysterious manner sug- 
gesting the possibility of its being something extraordinary. 
But he followed the others out, the guide seeming to drive 
them all before him back into the open spot by the fire, while 


THE GRAND CHACO . 


77 


almost directly after the Indian boatmen appeared, half carry- 
ing, half dragging — each holding a paw — with his white under 
fur stained with blood, the great jaguar — perfectly dead. 

“ There,” cried Shaddy, “now you can have your skin, sir ; 
and you deserve it for those two shots.” 

“ But I couldn’t have ” began Rob. 

“ But you did, sir,” said Shaddy, who was down on his 
knees by the beautiful animal. “ Here you are : face and 
head all full of small shot, and down here right in the loins 
— yes : back regularly broken by a bullet. Your piece was 
loaded proper after all.” 

“ A splendid shot, Rob,” cried Brazier, and Joe patted his 
back. 

“ But it was quite an accident,” said Rob, excitedly. 

“ Accident ? ” growled Shaddy. “ If you shot at a man in 
England and killed him, do you think the judge would say it 
was an accident ? ” 

“ Well, no,” said Rob, laughing. 

“ Course not. Splendid shot, as the captain says. So 
now let’s finish our bit of eating and have a nap while my 
chaps here takes off the skin.” 


7 8 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


CHAPTER VIII. 

AN EXCITING DAY. 

m 

It did not take the lads long to finish the interrupted meal, 
seated in the shade of a magnificent tree, one side of which 
sent out branches and pensile boughs laden with leaf and 
flower from the summit almost to the ground, while the other 
side was comparatively bare, so closely was it placed to the 
dense crowd of its fellows whose limbs were matted together 
and enlaced with creepers of endless variety, out from which 
the sheltering tree stood like a huge, green smoothly rounded 
buttress formed by nature to support the green wall which 
surrounded her forest fastness. 

As soon as they had eaten their meal the two lads hurried 
off to where the boatmen were deftly skinning the great cat- 
like creature, — rather a disgusting operation, but one full of 
interest, as limb after limb was cut down right to the toes and 
the skin stripped away, to show the tremendous muscles and 
sinews which enabled it to bound like lightning upon its prey. 

“ Seems a pity to waste so much good, fresh meat when a 
bit would be welcome, eh ? ” said Shaddy, with a grim smile. 

“ Would you like to eat some of it ? ” asked Joe. 

Shaddy shook his head. 

“No,” he said, “ I should as soon think of roasting a tom- 
cat at home and calling it hare. Rum thing it seems, though, 
that those creatures which live upon one another should be 
rank and nasty, while those which eat fruit and green stuff 
should be good. Keep your guns ready, my lads. It’s very 
quiet here, and you may get a shot at something good for 


THE GRAND CHACO . 


79 


the supper to-night : some big pigeons, or a turkey, or 

I’ll tell you, though ; I can hear ’em rustling about in the 
trees now. They’ll be easy, too, for a shot.” 

“ What ? Parrots ? ” 

“ Nay, better than them. A nice, plump young monkey 
or two.” 

“ What ? ” roared Rob. 

“ A nice young monkey or two ; and don’t shout, my lad. 
If you make that noise, we shan’t be able to hear anything 
coming.” 

“ Bah ! ” cried Joe. “ I should feel like a cannibal if I 
even thought of it. I say, look at Mr. Brazier ! ” 

Rob turned and smiled as he saw his leader eagerly mak- 
ing up for lost time, and, after climbing about twenty feet 
up a tree with a hatchet in his belt, holding on with one hand 
while he cut off a great bunch of flowers which hung from 
the bough upon which, like so much large mistletoe, it had 
taken root. 

Shaddy saw him almost at the same moment, and turned 
to the tree, followed by the lads. 

“ I say, sir, don’t do that ! ” he said, respectfully. 

“ Why not, my man ? We are not trespassing, and damag- 
ing anybody’s property here.” 

Shaddy laughed. 

“ No, sir, you won’t do much trespassing here,” he said. 

“ Then why do you interfere ? This is a magnificent or- 
chid, different from any that I have ever seen. I thought 
you understood that I have come on purpose to collect 
these.” 

“ <3h yes, I understand, sir; but you’re captain, and have 
got to order. We’ll get ’em for you. My four chaps’ll climb 
the trees better, and be handier with the axe ; and as they’ll 
have scarcely anything to do, we’ll set ’em to work at that 
sort of thing.” 


8o 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ They will have the rowing to do.” 

“ Precious little, sir, now. The rowing’s done. All we’ve 
got to do is to float along the stream.” 

“ Ah, well, I’ll finish this time, and they shall do it an- 
other.” 

“ Better come down now, sir,” whispered Shaddy. “ You 
see they’re a dull, stupid lot, who look up to white people 
as their natural masters, and, without being a brute to ’em, 
the more you stand off and treat ’em as if they were ser- 
vants the more they look up to you. If you don’t, and they 
see you doing work that they’re paid to do, they’ll look down 
on you, think you’re afraid of ’em, and grow saucy.” 

“Ah!” ejaculated Brazier, giving a start, and nearly los- 
ing his hold of the branch. 

“ What’s the matter, sir ? ” 

For answer Brazier cut frantically with his axe at some- 
thing invisible to those below, but evidently without avail 
till he struck a small bough so violently that they saw the 
object dropping down, and Rob had only time to leap aside 
to avoid a small snake, of a vivid green with red markings, 
which fell just where he had been standing, and then began 
to twine in and out rapidly, and quite unhurt, ending by mak- 
ing its escape into the dense forest, where it was impossible 
to follow. 

“ Did you kill it ? ” cried Brazier from up in the tree. 

“ No,” said Rob ; “ it’s gone ! ” 

“ Ah,” said Shaddy, thoughtfully, “ I never thought to 
warn you against them. That’s a poisonous one, I think, 
and they climb up the trees and among the flowers to get the 
young birds and eggs and beetles and things. Better always 
rattle a stick in amongst the leaves, sir, before you get han- 
dling them. Try again, now, with the handle of the 
hatchet.” 

Brazier obeyed, and snatched his hand back directly, as 


THE GRAND CHACO. 8 1 

he held on with his left, after violently striking the branch 
close to the plant he tried to secure. 

“ There’s another here,” he said. 

“ Better come away, sir ! ” cried Rob. 

“No; I must have this bunch. I have nearly cut the 
boughs clear from it, and a stroke or two then will divide 
the stem, and it will drop clear on to those bushes.” 

“ Shall I come, sir ? ” 

“ No ; I’ll keep away from where the thing lies. It is 
coiled up, and I only saw its head.” 

“ Better mind, sir : they’re rum things. Only got one inch 
’o neck one moment, and the next they’re holding on by 
their tails, and seem to have three foot.” 

“ I’ll take care,” said Brazier. “ Stand from below ; I 
shall cut the stem at once.” 

There was the sharp sound of the hatchet, as he gave a 
well-directed cut, and then a rustling, and the gorgeous bunch 
of flowers dropped, with all its bulbous stems and curious 
fleshy elongated leaves, right on the top of the clump of 
bushes beneath the great bough. 

“ All right ! ” cried Rob : “ not hurt a bit. Oh, how beau- 
tiful ! ” 

“ Mind, will you ! ” cried Shaddy, savagely : “ do you 
hear ? ” 

He whipped out his knife as he stepped forward, and 
made a rapid cut horizontally above the bunch of orchids. 
For as Rob approached, with outstretched hand, to lift off 
this, the first-fruits of their exploration, a little spade-shaped 
head suddenly shot up with two brilliant eyes sparkling in 
the sun, was drawn back to strike, and darted forward. 

But not to strike Rob’s defenceless hand, for Shaddy’s 
keen knife-blade met it a couple of inches below the gaping 
jaws, cut clean through its scale-armed skin, and the head 
dropped among the lovely petals of the orchids, while the 

6 


82 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


body, twisting and twining upon itself in a knot, went down 
through the bush and could be heard rustling and beating 
the leaves, out of sight. 

There was a peculiar gray look on Rob’s face as he looked 
at Shaddy. 

“ Only just in time, master,” said the latter. “ It’ll be a 
lesson to you both in taking care.” 

Rob shuddered ; but, making an effort, he said, laughing 
dismally, 

“ I don’t suppose it was a venomous snake, after all.” 

“ P’r’aps not,” said Shaddy drily. “ There, lift the bunch 
down with the bar’l of your gun. Shove the muzzle right in.” 

“ You do it, Joe,” whispered Rob ; “ I feel a bit sick. 
It’s the sun, I think.” 

Just then Mr. Brazier, who had been scrambling down the 
trunk of the huge tree by means of the parasites, which gave 
endless places for hold, dropped to the ground, and stood 
beating and shaking himself, to get rid of the ants and other 
insects he had gathered in his trip up to the branch. 

“ Ah ! that’s right, Giovanni,” he said : “ no, I must call 
you Joe, as Rob does.” 

“ Do, please, sir ; it’s ever so much shorter. Here it is,” 
he continued, as he lifted the bunch of lovely blossoms off 
the bush on to the clear space where they stood. 

“ Oh, if I could only show that in London, just as it is ! ” 
cried Brazier. “ Why, that bunch alone almost repays me 
for my journey, it is so beautiful and new.” 

“ Give it a shake, Mr. Joe, sir ! ” said Shaddy. 

“ Ah, yes, let’s make sure.” 

“ Can’t be anything else in it,” said Rob boisterously, 
in his desire to hide the fact that he had been terribly 
frightened. 

“ Never you mind whether there is or whether there ain’t, 
sir,” said Shaddy ; “ I want that there bunch shook.” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 83 

Joe gave a few jerks, and at the last something fell with a 
light plip in amongst the leaves at their feet. 

“ Ah ! ” ejaculated their guide ; and, bending down, he 
pressed the leaves aside with the point of his knife till he 
saw the object which had fallen, and carefully took it up 
with his left finger and thumb to hold out before the others 
the head and about an inch or so of the little snake — one 
much thinner, but otherwise about the size of an English 
adder. 

“ Horrid-looking little thing,” said Rob carelessly ; “ but 
I don’t think it’s poisonous.” 

Shaddy gave a grunt, and holding the neck tightly, he 
thrust the point of his knife in between the reptile’s jaws, 
opened them, and then shifting his fingers to the angle, he 
held the snake’s head upside down, and with the point of 
the blade raised from where they lay back on the roof of the 
mouth, close to the nose, two tiny glass-like teeth, the crea- 
ture’s fangs, which could be held back or erected at his 
pleasure. 

“ Not much doubt about them, sir,” said Shaddy. 

“ Not the slightest,” replied Brazier, frowning. “ We’ve 
both had narrow escapes, Rob.” 

“ You have, sir, and all for want of knowing better, if you’ll 
excuse me. What you’ve got to do is to look upon every- 
thing as dangerous till you’ve found out as it’s safe. And 
that you must do, please, for I can’t help you here. If it’s a 
clawing from a lion or tiger, or a dig from a deer’s horn, or 
a bite of ’gator, or a broken limb, or spear wound, or even a 
bullet-hole, I’m all there. I’ll undertake to pull you through 
a bit of fever too, or any or’nary complaint, and all without 
pretending to be a doctor. But as to fighting against snake 
poison, I’m just like a baby. I couldn’t help you a bit, so 
don’t get running your hands among the things anywhere. 
They’ll get out of your way fast enough if you give them a 
chance ; so just help me by minding that.” 


84 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


One of the boatmen came up and said something in a sour 
way to the speaker, who added, — 

“ They’ve skinned the tiger, and want to know what to do 
with the carkidge, sir. Come along with me, and I’ll show 
you something else.” 

“ No, no : stop a moment. Look here ! ” cried Joe. 

They all turned to where he stood holding the bunch of 
orchids on his gun-barrel, and saw his eyes fixed upon some- 
thing playing about the blossoms — a great bumblebee appar- 
ently — and paused before one of the orchid blossoms. 

The little thing was dull-looking, and they saw directly 
after that it was probing the flowers with a long curved beak. 

“ Humming bird,” cried Rob ; “ but I thought that they 
were bright-colored.” 

In an instant, as if it had heard his words, the tiny crea- 
ture changed its position to such an angle with the sun that 
for a few seconds its breast glowed with gorgeous green and 
flame-colored scales, which looked as if they had been cut out 
of some wonderful metal to protect the bird’s breast. Its 
wings moved so rapidly that they were invisible, and the beau- 
tiful little object seemed to be surrounded by a filmy haze 
of a little more than the diameter of a cricket-ball. 

Again there was a sharp motion, such as is noted in one 
kind of fly in an English summer, when it can be seen poised 
for a few moments apparently immovable, but with its wings 
beating at lightning speed. And as the humming bird 
changed its position the breast feathers looked dark and 
dull, while its head displayed a crest of dazzling golden 
green. 

It appeared to have no dread of the group of human 
beings close to it, but probed blossom after blossom as calmly 
as a bee would at home ; and it was from no movement they 
made that it suddenly made a dart and was gone. 

“ Pretty creatures ! ” said Shaddy, smiling, and looking 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


85 

the last man in the world likely to admire a bird ; “ you’ve 
come to the right place for them, gentlemen. Those lads of 
mine would soon make blowpipes and arrows, and knock 
you a few down, or I could if you wanted ’em, with one of 
your guns.” 

“ The shots would cut them to pieces,” said Brazier. 

“ To be sure they would, sir, and I shouldn’t use none. 
I’ve knocked one down with a charge of powder, shot off 
pretty close, and other times with half a teaspoonful of sand 
in the gun. But I tell you what acts best, only you can’t do 
it with a breechloader. It must be an old muzzle gun, and 
after you’ve rammed down your powder very tight with a 
strong wad, you pour in a little water, and fire soon as you 
can. You get a shower then as brings ’em down without 
damaging your bird.” 

“ Let’s look at the jaguar skin,” said Rob ; and stepping 
aside to where the boatmen stood in the broad sunshine, 
instead of gazing upon the tawny fur, with its rich spots of 
dark brown along back and flanks, shading off into soft white, 
he found, stretched out tightly by pegs, a sheet of unpleasant- 
looking fleshy skin, hardening in the ardent sunshine, which 
drove out its moisture at a rapid rate. 

“ Do it no end of good to stop like that till to-morrow,” 
said Shaddy. “ It would be pretty nigh stiff and hard by 
then.” 

“ But I don’t want it stiff and hard,” cried Rob. “ I want 
it soft, like a leather rug.” 

“ Yes, sir, I know,” replied the guide. “ Let’s get it dry 
first ; I can soon make it soft afterwards.” 

Brazier was looking round the open patch of slightly slop- 
ing ground, about half an acre in extent, forming quite a nook 
in the forest through which the river ran. 

“ There is plenty of work here for a day or two,” he said ; 
“ and it is a suitable place for our halt.” 


86 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“Couldn’t be better, sir. We shan’t find another so 
good.” 

“ Then we’ll stop for one day, certain.” 

“’Cording to that, then,” said Shaddy thoughtfully, “ we’d 
better take the carkidge somewhere else.” 

« Of course — get rid of it or bury it. Before long in this 
sun it will be offensive. Why not throw it in the river ? ” 

“ That’s what I meant to do, sir ; but I was a bit scared 
about drawing the ’gators about us. Don’t want their com- 
pany. t If they see that came from here they’ll be waiting 
about for more. I dunno, though ; perhaps the stream’ll 
carry it down half a mile before they pull it under or it 
sinks.” 

He made a sign to the boatmen, who seized the carcass of 
the jaguar, bore it just below where the boat was moored, 
and the two lads followed to see it consigned to the swift 
river. 

Here the men stood close to the edge, and acting in concert 
under Shaddy’s direction, they swung the carcass to and fro 
two or three times, gathering impetus at every sway, and 
then with one tremendous effort and a loud expiration of the 
breath they send it flying several yards, for it to fall with a 
tremendous splash and sink slowly, the lighter-colored por- 
tions being quite plain in the clear water as it settled down, 
sending great rings to each shore. Then the carcass rose 
slowly to the surface and began to float down stream. 

“ Look,” cried Rob the next instant, as the smooth water 
suddenly became agitated, and dark shadows appeard to be 
moving beneath the surface. Then the jaguar moved sud- 
denly to one side, as if it were alive, then back, to alter its 
course directly straight away from them, and again to begin 
travelling up stream ; while the water boiled all round about 
it, and several silvery fish flashed out of the water and fell 
back ; their heads and tails appeared as the fierce occupants 


THE GRAND CHACO. 87 

of the river fought for morsels which they bit out of the 
flanks and limbs of the dead animal. 

“ Makes ’em mad to get at it,” said Shaddy, as the water 
grew more disturbed ; “ they’re coming up the river in shoals. 
You see there’s no skin to get through and fill their teeth 
with hair. Say, youngsters, talk about ground bait, don’t 
you wish you’d got your tackle ready ? Might catch some 
good ones for supper.” 

“ And eat them after they’ve been feeding on that animal ? ” 

“ Better have them after feeding on that, Rob,” said 
Brazier, “ than after a feast of I don’t know what. Why not 
try, Naylor ? ” 

“ No meat for a bait, sir. Let’s wait till they’ve done, and 
then I’ll fish for a dorado. We’ve got some oranges left.” 

He ceased speaking, and they stood watching the carcass, 
which still floated, from the simple fact that a swarm of fish 
were attacking it from below, while so many came swarm- 
ing up from lower down the stream, attracted by the odor of 
the pieces of the jaguar, and the many fragments which as- 
cended and floated away, that the carcass not only could not 
sink but was driven higher and higher toward the main river. 

“ Hah?” ejaculated Shaddy suddenly, “I thought that was 
coming.” 

For suddenly there were dozens of silvery fish leaping in 
the air to fall back into the water, which ceased to boil, and 
a wave formed by the shoal swept down stream. 

“ What’s that mean ? ” cried Rob. “ Why, they’ve left it.” 

“ Yes, sir, they have,” said Shaddy, emphasizing the per- 
sonal pronoun. “ Look ! ” 

A fresh splash about twenty yards from them had already 
taken Rob’s attention, and then there was another caused by 
a peculiar dark-looking object, which rose above the surface. 

“ Gator’s tail,” said Shaddy, grimly. “ It’s their turn now, 
and the hungry fishes have to make room,” 


88 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


Just then a long black, muddy-looking snout glided out of 
the water, followed by the head, shoulders and back of a 
hideous lizard-like creature, which glided over the carcass of 
the jaguar and disappeared, followed directly by a head twice 
as large, and as it rose clear of the water the jaws opened wide 
and closed with a loud snap. Directly after this head sank 
down out of sight there was a tremendous swirl in the water, 
and then it began to settle down, but only to be disturbed 
once more about opposite to where the party stood, and again 
some twenty yards lower down, after which the river ran 
swiftly and smoothly once more. 

“ That was an old bull ’gator,” said Shaddy. “ The small 
ones, three or four, came first and scared off all the fish that 
didn’t want to be eaten, and then the old chap came and 
soon sent them to the right-about, and he has carried off 
the carkidge to enjoy all to himself down in some hole under 
the bank.” 

“ Plenty of natural history for you here, boys,” said Brazier, 
“eh?” 

“ Yes, but how horrid ! ” cried Rob. 

“ And yet how beautiful it all is to compensate ! ” said 
Brazier, thoughtfully. “ But what about something fresh to 
eat, Naylor? We must shoot something, or you must fish. 
There, Rob, you said how horrid just now ; and yet we are 
as bad. The alligators and fish only sought for their daily 
food. We are going to do worse than they did with our guns 
and tackle. Well, Naylor, what are we to do ? ” 

“ I’m thinking, sir, that if the young gents here, or one of 
them, will try a fishing line with an orange or half an orange 
bait, you might sit quiet at your corner and watch for 
something — bush turkey, or parrots even, for they’re good 
eating.” 

“ But suppose I shoot a bird, and it falls in the river, what 
then ? ” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


89 

“ Why, we must go after it with the boat ; but I expect 
that something or another would take it down before we 
could get to it. This river swarms, sir, with big fish and 
’gators.” 

“ Why not go a few hundred yards into the forest ? We 
might put up a deer.” 

“ Dessay you would, sir, if you could get in. Why, you 
couldn’t get in a dozen yards without men to hack a way for 
you ; and if you went in alone, even so far, it’s a chance if 
you could find your way out again. You’ll have to be care- 
ful about that.” 

“ Why ? ” said Rob, eagerly. “ The wild beasts ? ” 

“ They’re the least trouble, sir,” replied Shaddy. “ It’s 
the getting lost. A man who is lost in these forests may 
almost as well lie down and die at once out of his misery, 
for there’s no chance of his getting back again.” 

“ I’m afraid you try to make the worst of things, Naylor,” 
said Brazier, smiling. “Well, I’ll take my position at the 
corner yonder while you lads fish.” 

Rob felt as if he would far rather try his luck with a gun, 
for he wanted to practise shooting ; and Shaddy read the 
disappointment in his face. 

“ It’ll be all right, my lad,” he said, as Brazier went to the 
boat to get some different cartridges ; “ you’ll have plenty of 
chance of shooting for the pot by-and-by. Why, you haven’t 
done so very bad to-day — bagging a whole tiger. Here, I’ll 
help you rig up a line.” 

“ And suppose I hook one of those alligators ? ” 

“ Hardly likely, my lad ; but if you do it will be bad for 
the ’gator or bad for your line. One’ll have to come, or the 
other’ll have to go.” 

Just then Brazier returned from the boat with the cart- 
ridge-pouch, and examining the breech of his gun, after 
which he walked slowly to the corner of the green opening 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


90 

and took his place close to the edge of the river, where he 
was partly hidden by some pendent boughs, while Rob, Joe, 
and Shaddy got on board the boat again, and were soon fit- 
ting up a line with an orange bait. 

“May as well fish from the boat, my lads,” said Shaddy; 
“ it’s peaceabler and comfortabler. What do you say ? ” 

“ No,” said Joe, “ but one from the boat, and one from 
the other corner there. If we fish together we shall get 
our lines tangled.” 

‘ “Right, my Hightalian man o’ wisdom,” said Shaddy. 
“ There you are, then,” he continued, as he fixed the half 
of an orange as securely as he could • “ you begin there, and 
Mr. Rob will try up yonder, while I’ll go to and fro with 
the gaff hook, ready to help whichever of you wants a hand.” 

“ Hi ! you chaps,” he shouted to the men in their own 
tongue, as they were settling themselves down for a long 
sleep, “ make that fire up again ; we’re going to stop here 
to-night.” 

“ I wish I could speak their language, Shaddy,” said Rob, 
as the men deliberately began to pile some of the wood they 
had collected on the embers. 

“You’ll soon pick it up, my lad. It’s soft and easy 
enough. Not as I speak it, you know, because I’m so rough 
and keep chopping in broken English. They’re not bad 
fellows. But now look here,” he continued, as they reached 
their corner where the stream flowed very deep and made 
quite an eddy ; “ it strikes me that the best thing we can do 
is to try a different bait, one as will tempt the fish that don’t 
care so much for flesh. What do you say to a quarter of a 
biscuit ? ” 

“ Too hard, and will not stick on.” 

“ Get soft in the water ; and it will stick on, for I shall tie 
it with some thin string, making quite a net round it.” 

“ That will do then,” said Rob, who felt some compunc- 


THE GRAND CHACO. QI 

tion at trying for fish which had been lunching off a large 
cat ; and in due time the bait was carefully bound on. 

“ This place will do,” said Shaddy, “ because the water 
will carry the hook out softly right toward the middle in this 
eddy, and we shan’t have to throw and knock off our bait. 
Ready ? ” 

Bang I 


9 2 


THE GRAND CHACO . 


CHAPTER IX. 

ARGENTINE LARKS. 

The sharp report was from Brazier’s piece, and as all looked 
round it was to see a large turkey-like bird beating and flap- 
ping the ground with its strong pinions, evidently being 
badly wounded. 

“ Ah ! ” cried Shaddy, “ that’ll be better meat than our 
fish ; ” and dropping the line, he trotted towards the spot 
where the bird lay close to the edge of the forest, just as 
Brazier started on the same mission from his end of the 
opening ; while quite a flock of small birds and a troop of 
monkeys came flying and bounding through the trees, as if 
to see what was the meaning of the strange noise, and filling 
the air with their chatterings and cries, but hardly displaying 
the slightest dread. 

“ I happened to look round,” cried Brazier, “ and saw it 
come out from among the trees.” 

This was just as he and Shaddy neared the bird, where it 
lay half a dozen yards from the dense mass of interwoven 
foliage, when, to the disgust of both, the bird suddenly rose 
to its feet, made a bound, and, with its wings whistling 
loudly, flew right in through an opening, while its would-be 
captors were brought up short by the, to them, impenetrable 
forest. 

“ How vexatious ! ” cried Brazier, stamping his foot. 

“ There goes our supper ! ” grumbled Shaddy ; “ and that’s 
about the joociest bird I know.” 

“ I wish I’d given it the other barrel,” said Brazier. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


93 


“ Better load, sir,” said Shaddy. “Never mind. You’ll 
get another chance soon. Eh ? Oh, very well then, have a 
try.” 

This was to one of the boatmen, who, roused by the shot, 
came up smiling with his sword-like knife in his hand, 
evidently with the intention of cutting his way in and trying 
to retrieve the bird. 

“ I don’t think it is of any use,” said Brazier. 

“ Dunno, sir. Perhaps it is. The bird was hard hit, and 
maybe hasn’t gone far. Let him try. He may just as well 
do that as lie and sleep.” 

They both stopped for a few minutes, watching the man, 
who bent down, and going on all-fours, passed in between 
the interlacing growth ; they saw his feet for a few moments, 
and then he disappeared altogether, while Brazier and Shaddy 
both returned to their stations. 

“ What a pity ! ” grumbled the latter. “ ’Bout the nicest 
birds I know — when you’re hungry. There’ll be another 
shot for him soon, though, for they go in flocks in open bits 
of land near water.” 

“What bird was it ? ” said Rob — “ a turkey ? ” 

“ Nay, not so big as a turkey, lad; I dunno what they call 
’em. I call ’em Argentine larks.” 

“ What ? ” cried Rob, with a laugh. 

“ Ah, you may grin, my lad, but it ain’t such a bad name ; 
and if you’d seen ’em do what I have, you’d say so too.” 

“ What do you mean ? ” said Rob : “ do they make their 
nests on the ground ? ” 

“ I don’t know nothing about their nests, but I’ll tell you 
what they do : they rise off the ground and fly up in the air 
higher and higher, and sail round and round, singing just 
like a lark does, only lots of times as loud.” 

Rob looked keenly in the man’s face. 

“ Oh, I ain’t a-stufflng of you with nonsense, my lad ; that 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


94 

’ere’s a nat’ral history fact. They flies up singing away till 
they’re out of sight, and the music comes down so soft and 
sweet then that it makes you want more and more as you get 
thinking of when you was away in the country at home.” 

“ But that bird was so big,” cried Rob. 

“ All the better, my lad. Holds more music and sings all 
the longer.” 

“ Caught anything ? ” asked Joe from the boat, for both 
lines had been cast now, and the lads were patiently holding 
the ends. 

“ No ; haven’t had a bite,” replied Rob ; and the words had 
hardly left his lips when Brazier’s gun raised an echo across 
the river, one which ran to and fro, reflected by the wall of 
trees in zigzag course till it died out. 

But no one listened to the echo, for all attention was taken 
by a large duck, one of about a dozen which had come skim- 
ming along over the surface of the water till its course had 
been stopped by Brazier’s accurate shot, when it fell flapping 
heavily and raising quite a spray around it as it began to float 
rapidly down-stream. 

“ Come, we mustn’t lose that,” cried Shaddy, running to 
unfasten the rope which moored the boat. “We’ll go to- 
gether. Mr. Joe, sir, haul in your line.” 

But before the boy could obey there was a cry of annoy- 
ance from Brazier as, with a slight splash, something seized 
the duck and drew it under. 

“ ’Nother supper gone ! ” growled Shaddy. 

“ What was it ? ” cried Brazier. 

“ Didn’t see, sir. Either a ’gator or a big fish. Look 
sharp, Mr. Joe, sir. Now, if you could catch that there fish 
with the duck in his jaws too, it would be something 
like.” 

But Joe did not have the chance to catch a fish with the 
duck or without, and Rob fervently hoped that he might not 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


95 


catch the captor of the duck, for he felt certain that he had 
seen the jaws of a small alligator close upon the unfortunate 
bird as he held the end of his line tightly and waited for the 
bite which would not come. 

But in the midst of that lovely solitude there was no room 
for disappointment. Though they could not obtain exactly 
what they sought, Rob felt that nature was offering them end- 
less attractions, and his eye was being constantly attracted 
by the flowers high up on the trees across the river, and the 
still more beautiful butterflies and birds constantly passing 
here and there. Now it was some lovely object whose large 
flat wings flashed with steely or purply blue, according to the 
angle in which it was viewed, then other butterflies of velvety 
black dashed with orange and vermilion. Parrots of vivid 
green with scarlet heads flew to and fro across the stream ; 
and twice over a great ara or macaw, with its large, hooked 
beak and scarlet-and-blue feathering, a very soldier in uniform 
among birds, flew over them, watching them keenly as it ut- 
tered its harsh, discordant cry. Then, too, there were the 
humming-birds darting here and there with bee-like flight, 
emitting a flash every now and then as their metallic, scale- 
like feathers caught the sun on their burnished surface. 

“ No,” said Rob to himself, “ one can’t feel disappointed 
here,” and soon after, as he drew a long, deep breath full of 
satisfaction, “ Oh, how gloriously beautiful it all is ! What 
would they say at home ? ” 

Now he gazed down into the deep, clear, swiftly flowing 
water, where brilliantly illuminated by the sun, just beyond 
where he sat shaded by a tree, he could see fish of all sizes 
floating motionless, apparently at different depths, while 
farther out there were more and more, larger it seemed, and 
as the depth and density of the water increased, looking more 
shadowy and strange. 

“ There are plenty of them, even if they don’t bite,” thought 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


96 

Rob ; “ and if it were not that we must have them to eat, I 
don’t know that I want to catch them. Ugh ! ” 

He involuntarily shrank away, but resumed his position at 
the edge of the river, gazing down at where, with its four 
legs outstretched and its tail waving softly, an alligator swam 
by some five feet below the surface. It was only a small one, 
between three and four feet in length, but showing all the 
ugly configuration of its kind ; and it fascinated Rob as he 
gazed at it till it slowly grew more shadowy and shortened 
in length till it disappeared. 

“Wonder how Joe’s getting on,” he thought; and then 
his mind dwelt again upon their surroundings, and as his 
eyes wandered from spot to spot he felt that they ought to 
go no farther, but make a temporary stay there. 

3 Just then he looked to his right, to find that Mr. Brazier 
had given up his task of watching for birds, and was busy 
with Shaddy arranging the bunch of orchids on a branch in 
the full sunshine, to dry as much as was possible before 
being transferred to their destination— the bottom of one of 
the tubs. 

“ Slow work ! ” muttered Rob, drawing in his line now, 
to find the biscuit softened, but still held tightly enough to 
the hook. Then, dropping it in again, he watched it as it 
was carried out by the eddy, and ended by tying the line fast 
to one of the overhanging branches and walking to where 
the boat was moored. 

“ How are you getting on, Joe ?” he said ; but there was 
no answer. “Not here?” he muttered as he stepped on 
board, to find the young Italian lying back fast asleep, while 
the end of the line was secured to one of the thwarts. 

“ Oh, I say ! ” muttered Rob, “ you lazy beggar ! ” Then 
stooping down, so that his lips were near the sleeper’s ear, he 
said loudly, “ Ready for supper ? ” 

Joe leaped up in confusion. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


97 


“ Have I been asleep ? ” he said hastily. 

“ Looks like it. Where’s the dorado ? ” 

“ I — that is — I grew so drowsy, I — yes, I fastened the end 
of the line for fear it should go overboard, and — here, look 
out ! ” he cried sharply, “ I have him ! ” 

“ Not you,” said Rob ; “ the hook caught it.” 

For the line had been drawn tight while Joe slept, and as 
he took hold of it he found that it was fast in something 
heavy, which now sent a quiver along the line, as if it were 
shaking its head angrily at being disturbed. 

“ Why, it’s a big one,” said Rob excitedly. 

“ It’s a monster,” panted Joe. “ Oh, I wish I had not 
been asleep.” 

“ Caught anything ? ” came from behind them, and Brazier 
and Shaddy drew near. 

“ Yes ; Joe has hooked a very big one,” cried Rob eagerly. 
“Get your hook ready, Shaddy.” 

“ All right, sir,” said the guide grimly, “ but you won’t 
want it just yet. You’ll have to play that chap before you 
get him up to the boat.” 

So it seemed, for the captive lay sulkily for a few moments, 
resenting the strain on the line, till Joe gave it a jerk, when 
there was a rush away to the left, the line suddenly slackened, 
and Rob exclaimed, in a tone of disappointment, — 

“ Gone ! ” 

“ No,” growled Shaddy. “ Pull in a bit, my lad. 
Steady ! ” 

Joe began to haul in the line, drawing in yard after yard, 
which fell in rings to the bottom of the boat, till half the 
fishing cord must have been recovered. 

“ He has gone, Shaddy,” said Joe. 

“Beginning to think you’re right, my lad. Fancied at 
first he’d swum up to the side, for there’s no telling what a 
fish may do when Look out ; he’s on still,” roared Shaddy. 


THE GRAND CHACO , 


“ Hold the line, my lad. Don't let him haul it quite out, or 
he’ll snap it when he gets to the end/’ 

Joe seized the line and let it slip through his fingers, but 
the friction was so painful that he would have let go again 
had not Shaddy stepped to his help and taken hold behind 
him. 

“ Won’t hurt my fingers,” he growled ; a they’re a deal too 
hard,” and he kept hold so that he did not interfere with 
Joe’s work in playing the fish, but relieved him of the strain 
and friction as the line cut the water here and there. 

Brazier looked on^with plenty of interest in the proceed- 
ings, for the capture of a fish of goodly size was a matter of 
some consequence to the leader of an expedition with eight 
hungry people to cater for day after day. 

“ Think it’s a dorado, Shaddy?” asked Rob. 

“ Ought to be, my lad, from its taking an orange, and if it 
is it’s ’bout the heaviest one I’ve knowed. My word, but he 
does pull ! Can’t say as ever I felt one shake his head like 
that before. Shall I play him now, my lad ? ” 

“No,” cried Joe through his set teeth as he held on, “ not 
yet. I will ask you if I want help. No : Rob will help 
me.” 

The struggle went on so fiercely that it increased Brazier’s 
interest, and but for the clever way in which the two lads in 
turn played the fish, the cord, strong as it was, must have 
been broken. But they were fortunate enough to get a good 
deal of the long line in hand, and were thus enabled to let 
their captive run from time to time, merely keeping up a 
steady strain till the rush was over and then hauling in 
again. 

“ Why, boys,” said Brazier at last as he stood on the bank 
resting upon his double gun, “ it will be supper-time before 
you catch your prize, and in this climate fish will be bad to- 
morrow. Better let him go.” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


99 

“ What ! ” cried Rob, whose face was streaming with per- 
spiration. “ Let him go ! Do you hear, Joe ? ” 

Joe nodded and tightened his lips, his face seeming to 
say,— 

“ Let him go ? Not while I can hold him.” 

So the fight went on till the fish grew less fierce in its 
rushes, but none the weaker, keeping on as it did a heavy, 
stubborn drag, and though frequently brought pretty near to 
the boat, keeping down close to the bottom, so that they 
never once obtained a glimpse of it. 

“ It ain’t a dorado,” said Shaddy at last. “ I never see 
one fight like that.” 

“ It must be a very grand one,” said Joe, wiping his face, 
for he had resigned the line for a time. 

“ It pulls like a mule,” said Rob, as the captive now made 
off toward the middle of the river. 

“ What sort of a hook have you got on, Mr. Jovanni ? ” 
cried Shaddy. 

“ One of those big ones, with the wire bound round for 
about two feet above it.” 

“ Then I tell you what, my lad: I don’t believe that strong 
new cord’ll break. S’pose both of you get hold after he’s 
had this run, haul him right up, and let’s have a look at him ! 
Strikes me you’ve got hold of one of them big eely mud-fish 
by the way he hugs the bottom.’ ’ 

“ Shall we try, Joe ? ” 

“ I — I’m afraid of losing it,” was the reply. “ It would be 
so dreadful now. Perhaps it will be tired soon.” 

“ Don’t seem like it, my lad ! ” said Brazier. “ It is not 
worth so long and exhausting a fight.” 

“ Right, sir, and they’ve been too easy with him. You get 
his head up, Mr. Rob, as soon as he gives a bit, and then 
both of you show him you don’t mean to stand any more 
nonsense. That’ll make him give in.” 


IOO 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ Very well,” said Joe, with a sigh. “ We have been a long 
time. Wait till he has had this run.” 

The line was running out more and more through Rob’s fin- 
gers as he spoke, and the fish seemed bent on making for the 
farther shore ; but the lad made it hard work for the prisoner, 
and about two-thirds of the way it began to slacken its pace, 
almost stopped, quite stopped, and sulked, like a salmon, at 
the bottom. 

“ Now both of you give a gentle, steady pull,” said Brazier ; 
and Joe took hold of the line and joined Rob in keeping up 
a continuous strain. 

For a few minutes it was like pulling at a log of wood, and 
Rob declared the line must be caught. But almost as he 
spoke the fish gave a vicious shake at the hook, its head 
seemed to be pulled round, the strain was kept up, and the 
captive yielded, and was drawn nearer and nearer very slowly, 
but none the less surely, the line falling in rings to the bottom 
of the boat. 

“ Bravo ! ” cried Brazier. 

“ That’s right, both of you ! ” shouted Shaddy excitedly. 
“ He’s dead beat, and I shall have the big hook in his gills 
before he knows where he is. Haul away ! ” 

“ Are these mud-fish you talk about good eating, Naylor ? ” 
asked Brazier. 

“ Oh yes, sir. Bit eely-like in their way ; not half bad. 
Come, that’s winning, gents. Well done. Give me a shout 
when you want me. I won’t come yet so as to get in your 
way.” 

“ Shan’t be ready yet,” panted Rob. “ He is strong. I 
think you ought to have a harpoon. — I say ! ” 

“ Yes, sir.” 

“ Do these mud-fish bite ? ” 

“ Well, yes, sir,” replied Shaddy ; “ pretty nigh all the fish 
hereabouts are handy with their teeth.” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


IOI 


“ Ah, he’s off again ! ” cried Joe ; and they had to let the 
prisoner run. But it was a much weaker effort, and a couple 
of minutes later they had hauled in all the line given, and got 
in so much more that the fish was at the bottom of the river 
only four or five yards from the boat. 

“ Now then, both together ; that line will hold ! ” cried 
Shaddy excitedly ; “get him right up and see what he is, and 
if he begins to fight fierce, let him have one more run to 
finish his flurry, as the whalers call the last fight.” 

“ Ready, Joe ? ” 

“Yes.” 

“ Both together, then.” 

There were a few short, steady pulls, hand over hand, and 
the prisoner was drawn nearer and nearer, and raised from 
the bottom, slowly and surely, while, as full of excitement 
now as the lads, Brazier and Shaddy stood close to the edge, 
watching. 

“ Hurrah ! ” cried Rob, who was nearest to the gunwale. 
“ I can see him now ! ” 

“ Well, what is it — a mud-fish ? ” asked Brazier. 

“ No,” said Joe, straining his neck to get a glimpse through 
the clear water, the disturbed mud raised by the struggles of 
the fish being rapidly swept away. “ It’s a dorado : I can see 
his golden scales ! ” 

“ Then he’s a regular whopper, my lads. Steady, don’t lose 
him ! ” cried Shaddy. “ Shall I come on board ? ” 

“ No, not yet,” said Joe excitedly. “ He may make another 
rush.” 

“Why, I say, it isn’t a very big one,” said Rob. 

“ No,” cried Joe, in a disappointed tone ; but he’s coming 
up backwards, which shows how strong he is.” 

“ Ha, ha ! ” shouted Rob ; “we’ve caught him by the tail.” 

“ Got the line twisted round it, perhaps,” said Brazier. 

“ That’s what makes the fish seem so strong.” 


102 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ Ugh ! ” yelled Rob, letting go of the line, with the result 
that it was drawn back rapidly through Joe’s fingers, till at a 
cry from his lips, Rob took hold again, as the fish ran off and 
nearly reached its former quarters. 

“ What’s the matter ? ” said Brazier. “ Did the line cut 
your fingers ? ” 

“ No. We’ve caught a horrid great thing. It isn’t a 
dorado. I saw it well, and it’s nearly as long as the boat.” 

“ Gammon ! ” growled Shaddy. “ Here, what’s it like, 
Master Joe? ” 

“ I don’t know. I never saw a fish like it before : its tail 
was all golden scales, and then it was dark at the top and 
bottom, and went off dark right toward the head.” 

“ Then it must be a mud-fish, I should say, though I never 
knowed of one with a tail like that. Haul him in again, and 
I’ll get aboard now ready with the hook.” 

He stepped into the boat, and lay down in the bottom with 
his arms over the side and his landing-hook, securely bound 
to a short, stout piece of bamboo, held ready. 

“ Shan’t be in your way, shall I ? he asked.” 

“No, not at all,” replied Joe. “Now, Rob, are you 
ready ? ” 

“Yes.” 

“ I say, don’t let go again.” 

“ I’ll try not,” replied Rob, and the hauling began once 
more, with almost as much effort necessary. But at the end 
of a minute it began to be evident that the fish was tired, for 
it yielded more and more as the line was drawn in, but kept 
to its old tactics of hugging the bottom till it was close up 
to the boat, where, after pausing a moment or two, Rob cried, 

“ Now then, both together ! Don’t miss him, Shaddy ! Mind, 
he’s a hideous great thing.” 

“ All right, my lads haul away ! ” 

They hauled, but instead of the fish suffering itself to be 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


I0 3 

dragged like a lump of lead close in to the boat, it now com- 
menced different tactics, and rose till the gilded tail appeared 
above the surface quite clear of the line, and beat and 
churned up the water till it was too much disturbed for them 
to see the head, the creature seeming to be fighting hard to 
dive down again straight to the bottom. 

“ That’s right, my lads ; he’s coming. ’Nother fathom, and 
I’ll get the hook into him. Haul steady. He’s done. He’s 
Well, I’m blessed ! ” 

Shaddy roared out this last exclamation, for all at once, as 
the boys hauled persistently at the line, the tail half of a large 
dorado was thrust above the surface, agitated violently, and 
directly after there followed the hideous head of an alligator 
with its jaws tightly closed upon the fore half of the fish. It 
was shaking its head savagely to break the line, and began 
giving violent plunges while it made the water foam with its 
struggles, and in another moment would no doubt have broken 
away ; but just at the crisis, on seeing what was the state of 
affairs, Brazier raised his gun, took a quick aim, and dis- 
charged rapidly one after the other both barrels of his piece. 

The result was magical. As the smoke rose, and quite a 
cloud of brilliantly tinted birds flew here and there from side 
to side of the river, whose trees on both banks seemed to 
have grown alive with monkeys, the alligator made one leap 
half out of the water, fell back with a heavy splash, and then 
lay motionless save for a quivering of its tail as it was drawn 
nearer, when Shaddy managed to get his hook inside the jaws, 
which were distended by the dorado, and then, stepping ashore 
he hauled the repile right out on to the grass. 

“ Is he dead ? ” said Brazier, who was reloading. 

“ Not yet, sir ; but you’ve shattered the back of his head, 
and he’ll soon be quiet. No wonder you didn’t land him 
quicker, Master Joe.” 

“ But what does it mean ? ” cried Rob. “ Oh, I see ! Joe 


104 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


hooked a dorado, and this fellow tried to swallow it head 
first, and couldn’t get it right down.” 

“ That’s it, my lad,” replied Shaddy. “ He’d half managed 
it when Mr. Jovanni here gave a pull, and has got the hook 
in him somewhere. I thought so. Here’s the pynte sticking 
right through outside his neck, and he couldn’t bite because 
of the fish stuck in his jaws just like a great gag.” 

“ Well, what’s to be done ? ” said Rob ; “ we can’t eat the 
dorado now. Wonder whether I’ve got a bite yet.” 

He went slowly and wearily up to the tree where he had 
fastened the end of his line, and to his delight saw that the 
branch was rising and falling as a fish on the hook tugged to 
get away. 

“ Hi ! Joe ! Got one ! ” he shouted ; but before the lad 
could reach him he had the line in his hand and was hauling, 
sore as his fingers were, a heavy fish toward the shore. 
Then with a cry of disappointment he pulled in the line easily 
enough, for the fish was gone. 

They returned to the spot where Brazier and Shaddy stood, 
near the captured alligator. 

“ Good six feet long, Rob,” said Brazier, who had measured 
it by taking two long paces. “ Something like a catch, Gio- 
vanni. Can you get the fish out of its jaws, Naylor ?” 

“ Oh yes, I think so, sir.” 

“ Mind, for these creatures are very retentive of life.” 

“ Oh yes, I know ’em, sir. I’ll get the chopper and take 
his head off first.” 

“ But we are not going to eat that fish now, Mr. Brazier, 
are we ? ” 

“Well, I don’t know, Rob. If it is well washed and skinned, 
it cannot be any the worse, and we have nothing else in the 
way of fish or meat.” 

“ Wrong, sir,” said Shaddy, making a very "wide smile ; 
“ look at that.” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


io 5 

He pointed toward the top of the little clearing where the 
boatman had forced his way in amongst the tangled growth, 
and gone on hewing his way through bush, thorn, vine, and 
parasitical growth, to reappear just in the nick of time with 
the bustard-looking bird hanging from his left hand, dead. 

“ Says he had to go in a long way,” said Shaddy, after a 
short conversation with the man, who, weary though he was 
with his exertions, immediately set to work by the fire pick- 
ing the bird and burning its feathers, with the result that the 
Europeans of the little expedition confined themselves to the 
windward side of the fire till the man had done. 

“Never had such a delicious supper before in my life,” 
said Rob two hours later, as they sat in the boat eating 
oranges and watching the gorgeous colors of the sky. 

“ Think this place ’ll do, sir ? ” said Shaddy, after washing 
down his repast with copious draughts of mate made by his 
men. 

“ Excellently, Naylor.” 

“ And you ain’t hardly begun yet,” said Shaddy, smiling. 
“ Wait till you get higher up, where it’s wilder and won- 
derfler : this is nothing. Suit you, Master Rob ? Never had 
such fishing as that before, did you ? ” 

“ Never, Shaddy ; but what did you do with the alligator 
and the fish ? ” 

“ My lads cut all off as the ’gator hadn’t had down his throat, 
and tumbled the other into the stream. Ain’t much of him 
left by this time.” 

The night came on almost directly after, with the remarkable 
tropical absence of twilight ; and directly after, as if all had 
been waiting for the darkness, the chorus of the forest began. 
Then, after well making up the fire with an abundance of wood, 
the boatmen came on board, and immediately settled them- 
selves down to sleep. 


io6 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


CHAPTER X. 

IN PERILOUS QUARTERS. 

It was a weird hour that next which was passed with the 
fire sending up volumes of smoke, followed by glittering sparks 
which rose rapidly and looked like specks of gold-leaf float- 
ing away over the river, red now as blood, now orange and 
gold, as the fire blazed higher and cast its reflections on the 
rapid stream. 

The bright light had a singular attraction for the birds, 
which came skimming round and swooping through the dark 
smoke, small birds with bright wings, and large-headed owls 
with soft silent pinions ; these latter every now and then add- 
ing their mournful cries to the harsh screeching, whirring, 
drumming, throbbing, and piping of bird, insect, and reptile 
which mingled with the fine, thin, humming ping of the mos- 
quitoes and the mournful fluting of the frogs. 

No one spoke for a time, the attention of three of the 
party being taken up by the novelty of their position and 
the noises of the forest, for though they had passed many 
nights on the river and listened to the cries on the farther 
shore, this was their first experience of being right in among 
these musicians of the night as they kept up their incessant 
din. 

“ Can you tell what every sound is that we hear, Shaddy ? ” 
whispered Rob at last. 

“ Nay, hardly ; some on ’em of course,” said their guide. 

“ You know many of them too already, though they get so 
mixed up it’s hard to pick out one from the other.” 

“ But that ? ” whispered Rob, as if he dared not raise his 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


107 

voice, and he started violently, for there was a splash close 
at hand. 

“ Didn’t mean that fish, did you, sir ? That won’t hurt 
you here so long as you don’t walk overboard in your sleep.” 

“ No, no, I didn’t mean that ; I meant that bellowing noise. 
You heard it, didn’t you, Mr. Brazier ? ” 

There was no reply. 

“ Sleep,” said Shaddy, gruffly. 

“ Joe, you heard that bellowing down the river there ? ” 
whispered Rob. 

Again there was no reply. 

“ Sleep too,” growled Shaddy. “ Well, don’t you know 
what that was ? ” 

“ No.” 

“ ’Gator. Don’t suppose he thinks it’s bellowing. Dessay 
he’d call it a song. There it goes again. Comes along the 
river as if it was close to us. But there, don’t you think 
you’ve done enough for one day, and had better do as the 
rest are doing ? We’re the only two awake.” 

“ But what about keeping watch ? ” said Rob, rather ex- 
citedly. 

“ Oh, I don’t know as there’s any need to keep watch here, 
my lad,” said Shaddy coolly. 

“ What, not with all kinds of wild and savage beasts about 
us, and monstrous reptiles and fishes in the very water where 
we float ! Why, it seems madness to go to sleep among such 
dangers.” 

“ Nay, not it, my lad. Why, if you come to that, the 
world’s full of dangers wherever you are. No more danger 
here than on board a big ship sailing or steaming over water 
miles deep.” 

“ But the wild beasts — lions and tigers, as you call them ? ” 

“ Lions won’t hurt you so long as you don’t meddle with 
them, and the tigers won’t pass that fire.” 


io8 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ Then the Indians ? ” 

il No Indians about here, my lad, or I should have that fire 
out pretty soon and be on the watch. You leave all that to 
me, and don’t you get worrying yourself about danger because 
you hear a noise in the forest ! Noise is a noosance, but it 
don’t hurt. There was five thousand times as much danger 
in the fangs of that little sarpint I chopped to-day as in all the 
noise you’re listening to now.” 

Rob was silent. 

“ So just you take my advice, my lad : when night comes 
you say your bit o’ prayers and tuck your head under your 
wing till it’s near daylight. That’s the way to get a good 
night’s rest and be ready for the morning.” 

Rob started again, for a great, soft-winged thing swept 
silently by, so near that he felt the wind of its pinion as it 
glided on, its outline nearly invisible, but magnified by the 
darkness into a marvellous size. 

“ On’y a bat, my lad ! ” said Shaddy, yawning. 

“ Is that one of the blood-sucking ones ? ” 

“ Very likely.” 

“ And you talk about there being no danger out here ! ” 

“ Nay, not I. There’s plenty of dangers, my lad, but we’re 
not going to be afraid of a thing that you could knock down 
with one of your hands so that it would never fly again. It 
ought to feel scared, not you.” 

“ Is that a firefly ? ” said Rob, after a few minutes’ silence, 
and he pointed to a soft, golden glow coming up the river 
five or six feet above the stream, and larger and more power- 
ful than the twinkling lights appearing and disappearing 
among the foliage at the river’s edge. 

“Yes, that’s a firefly; come to light you to bed, if you 
like. There, my lad, it’s sleep-time. Get under shelter out 
of the night damp. You’ll soon be used to all the buzzing 
and howling and ” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


109 

“ That was a tiger, wasn’t it ? ” said Rob excitedly as a 
shrill cry rang out somewhere in the forest and sent a thrill 
through him. 

“ No. Once more, that’s a lion, and he’s after monkeys, 
not after you, so good-night.” 

Shaddy drew the sail over him as he stretched himself in 
the bottom of the roomy boat, and Rob crept in under the 
awning. The heavy breathing enabled him to make out ex- 
actly where his companions lay asleep, and settling himself 
down forward, he rested his head on his hand, convinced 
that sleep would be impossible, and preparing to listen to 
the faint rustling noise of the mooring rope on the gunwale 
of the boat, a sound which often suggested something com- 
ing on board. 

Then he made sure what it was, and watched the faint 
glow made by the fire on the canvas till it seemed to grow 
dull — seemed, for the boatmen had arranged the wood so 
that from time to time it fell in, and hence it kept on burn- 
ing up more brightly. But it looked dull to Rob and then 
black, for in spite of yells and screams and bellowings, the 
piping and fluting of frogs, the fiddling of crickets, and the 
drumming of some great toad, which apparently had a big 
tom-tom all to itself, Rob’s eyes had closed, and fatigue made 
him sleep as soundly as if he had been at home. 

The sun was up when he awoke with a start to find Joe 
having a wash in a freshly dipped bucket of clean water, and 
upon joining him and looking ashore, it was to see Brazier 
bringing his botanic treasures on board to hang up against 
the awning to dry ; while Shaddy had taken the skin of the 
jaguar, pegs and all, rolling it up and throwing it forward. 
The boatmen kept the kettle boiling and some cake-bread 
baking in the hot ashes. At the same time a pleasant odor 
of frizzling bacon told that breakfast would not be long. 

“ You are going to stay here for a day or two ? ” said Rob 


iio 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


to Mr. Brazier as he rubbed his face dry in the warm sun- 
shine. 

“ No. Naylor says we shall do better farther on, and keep 
On collecting as we go, beside getting a supply of ducks or 
other fowl for our wants. The farther we are from the big 
river the easier it will be to keep our wants supplied.” 

“ Gun, sir ! ” said Shaddy just then ; “ big ducks coming 
up the river. Take it coolly, sir, and don’t shoot till you 
can get two or three.” 

Brazier waited and waited, but the birds, which were feed- 
ing, came no farther. 

“ Hadn’t Mr. Rob better try too, sir ? ” whispered Shaddy ; 
“ he wants to learn to shoot.” 

Rob glanced at Brazier, who did not take his eyes from 
the ducks he was watching, and the boy hurriedly fetched 
his gun. 

“What yer got in ? ” whispered Shaddy. 

“ Shot in one barrel, bullet in the other.” 

“ Bah ! ” growled the guide. “ You don’t want bullet 
now. Yes, you do,” he continued. “ Look straight across 
the water in between the trees, and tell me if you see any- 
thing.” 

“ No. Whereabouts ? ” 

“Just opposite us. Now look again close to the water’s 
edge, where there’s that bit of an opening. Come, lad, 
where’s your eyes ? ” 

“ I don’t see anything but flowers and drooping boughs.” 

“ And a deer just come down for a drink of fresh water, 
ready to be shot and keep us in food for days.” 

“ Yes, I can see it now,” said Rob eagerly. “ What a 
beautiful creature ! ” 

“ Yes, beautiful meat that we can cut up in strips and dry 
in the sun, so as to have a little supply in hand.” 

“ But it seems ” began Rob. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


hi 


u It's necessary, lad, and it’s a chance. Sit down, rest : 
your piece on the gunwale, and aim straight with your left, 
barrel at the centre of its head. If you miss that you’re: 
sure to send the bullet through its shoulder and bring it: 
down.” 

Feeling a great deal of compunction, Rob sank into the- 1 
position advised, cocked his piece, and took careful aim. 

“ Make sure of him, my lad,” whispered Shaddy. “ It’s 
a fine bit o’ practice for you. Now then, hold the butt tight 
to your shoulder and pull the trigger gently ; squeeze it more 
than pull. Covered him ? ” 

“ Yes.” 

“ Then fire.” 

Bang ! bang! Two shots in rapid succession, and the 
deer was gone, but a monkey unseen till then dropped head 
over heels into the water from one of the trees over the 
trembling deer, scared from its hold by the loud reports, and 
a^ter a few moments’ splashing succeeded in reaching a 
branch which dipped in the stream. In another moment or 
two it was in safety chattering away fiercely as an ugly snout 
was protruded from the water where it fell. 

“ Got them this time ! ” said Brazier in a tone of satisfac- m 
tion as five ducks lay on the water waiting to be picked up. 

“ You should have fired too, Rob. We want fresh provi- 
sions.” 

“What I told him, sir, but he took such a long aim that 
the deer said, ‘ Good-morning ; come and be shot another 
time.’ ” 

“ Deer ? What deer ? ” 

“ One t’other side, sir,” said Shaddy, who had got out to 
unmoor the boat. 

“ I wish I had seen it ; the meat would have been so val- 
uable to-day.” 

“ What I telled him, sir.” 


1 12 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ And you didn’t shoot ! ” 

“ I was just going to when you fired, and the deer darted 
away.” 

“ Naturally,” said Brazier, smiling ; and by this time the 
boat was gliding down the river in the wake of the ducks, 
which were secured, all but one, which, being wounded, 
flapped and swam toward the shore, where it was suddenly 
sucked down by a reptile or fish. Those they secured 
dropped silvery little arrows, apparently, back into the 
water in the shape of the tiny voracious fish that had forced 
their way already between their feathers to reach the 
skin. 

The birds secured, Rob sat gazing with delight at the 
fresh beauties of the river where it wound off to the right. 
Birds innumerable were flitting about, chirping and singing ; 
noisy parrots were climbing and hanging head downwards as 
they hunted out a berry-like fruit from a tall tree ; and tou- 
cans, with orange-and-scarlet breasts and huge bills, hopped 
about, uttering their discordant cries. Everything looked so 
beautiful and peaceful that for the moment he forgot the 
dangerous occupants of the river, and his eyes grew dim 
* with the strange sense of joy that came over him that glori- 
ous morning. But the next moment he became aware of the 
fact that to all this beauty and brightness there was a terri- 
ble reverse side. For all at once a great falcon dashed with 
swift wing high up along the course of the river, and cries of 
fear, warning, and alarm rang out from the small birds, the 
minute before happy and contentedly seeking their food. 

The change was magical. At the first cry, all dropped 
down helter-skelter beneath the boughs and leaves, seeking 
shelter ; and as the falcon gave a harsh scream it was over 
groves that had suddenly become deserted, not a tenant 
being visible, except some half-dozen humming-birds, whose 
safety lay in their tiny size and wonderful powers of flight. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


^3 

Three of these, instead of showing fear, became immediately 
aggressive, and, darting like great flies at the falcon, flashed 
about it in different directions, apparently acting in concert 
and pestering the great bird so that it winged its way over 
the great wall of trees and was gone. 

But almost at the same moment a vulture appeared, with 
its hideous naked head and neck outstretched, making the 
humming-birds ruffle up again and resume their attack till 
they literally drove the great intruder away. 

“ What daring little things they are ! ” said Rob, who was 
watching the tiny bird gems with keen delight, while Brazier’s 
admiration was as much taken up by the clusters of blossoms 
hanging from a branch over the water. 

“ I shall be obliged to have those, Rob,” he said, pointing 
to the orchids. “ Do you think you could get out along that 
bough if the boat were run in to the bank ? ” 

“Yes,” said the boy; “but suppose I drop into the river ! 
What then ? ” 

“ We would keep the boat under you.” 

“ Can’t be done,” growled Shaddy, who had been trying 
to force the boat back to their little camp by paddling with 
one oar over the stern. “ ’Bliged to ask you, gentlemen, to 
take an oar apiece. Stream runs mighty fast here.” 

Rob seized an oar, and Brazier followed suit, at the same 
time glancing toward their last night’s halting place to see if 
their men were within reach to come and row, and enable 
him to make an effort to obtain some of the green, bulbous- 
looking stems and flowers of the lovely parasite which had 
taken his attention. But they were as unavailable as if they 
were a hundred miles away, for it would have taken them 
days to cut away to opposite where the boat was now being 
held against the swift stream, and even when they had 
reached the spot it would have been impossible to force her 
in through the tangled growth to the shore. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


114 

“ Now together, gentlemen ! ” growled Shaddy. “ Keep 
stroke, please. Pull hard.” 

They were already tugging so hard that the perspiration 
was starting out upon Rob’s brow, and in that short row, 
with Shaddy supplementing their efforts by paddling with 
all his might, they had a fair sample of the tremendous 
power of the stream. 

« At last ! ” said Shaddy as they regained their old quar- 
ters, where Joe and the four men had stood watching them. 
“ It will give my chaps a pretty good warming if we come 
back this way. Strikes me that we four had better practise 
up, pulling together, so as to be able to give them a rest now 
and then when the stream’s very much against us.” 

“ By all means,” said Brazier. 

“ You see, men ain’t steam-engines, sir, and we might be 
where there was no place for landing. O’ course we could 
always hitch on to the trees, but that makes poor mooring, 
and we should be better able to make our way. There’s 
hardly a chance of getting into slack water in a river like 
this : it all goes along with a rush.” 

“ But I must get that plant, Naylor,” said Brazier. 

“ If you’ll believe me, sir,” was the reply, “ you needn’t 
worry about that one. I’m going to take you where you’ll 
find thousands.” 

“ Like that ? ” 

“ Ay, and other sorts too. Seems to me, sir, we want to 
catch a monkey and teach him how to use a knife. He’d be 
the sort of chap to run up the trees.” 

Rob laughed at the idea, and said it was not possible. 

“ Well, sir,” said Shaddy, “ you may believe it or no, but 
an old friend of mine ’sured me that the Malay chaps do 
teach a big monkey they’ve got out there to slip up the 
cocoa-nut trees and twist the big nuts round and round till 
they drop off. He said it was a fact, and I don’t see why not.” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


lx 5 

“We’ll try and dispense with the monkey,” said Brazier; 
and trusting to finding more easily accessible specimens of 
the orchid, he gave that up, and a couple of hours after they 
were gliding swiftly along the stream, rapt in contemplation 
of the wonders on either hand, Shaddy being called upon 
from time to time to seize hold of some overhanging bough 
and check the progress of the boat, so that its occupants 
might watch the gambols of the inquisitive monkeys which 
kept pace with them along the bank by bounding and swing- 
ing from branch to branch. 

The birds, too, appeared to be infinite in variety ; and Rob 
was never weary of watching the tiny humming-birds as they 
poised themselves before the trumpet blossoms of some of 
the pendent vines to probe their depths for honey, or capt- 
ure tiny insects with their beaks. 

Their journey was prolonged from their inability to find a 
suitable place for a halt, and it was easy work for the boat- 
men, who smiled with content as they found that only one 
was required to handle the oars, so as to keep the boat’s head 
straight. 

It was nearly night, when a narrow place was found where 
by the fall of a huge tree several others had been torn up by 
their roots, and lay with their water-worn branches in the river. 

There was only just room to run the boat in between two 
of the trees, but it could be easily moored, and there was the 
clear sky overhead. Moreover, there was an ample supply 
of dead wood to make a fire, and by the time this was blaz- 
ing merrily and lighting up the wall of trees and the river, 
night had fallen intensely dark. 

The lads were for leaping out directly and climbing about 
amongst the fallen trunks which nearly filled the opening, 
but Shaddy checked them. 

“ Wait a while, my lads, till the fire’s been burning a bit. 
I don’t quite like our quarters.” 


n6 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ But that fire will scare away any wild beasts that may 
be near,” said Rob. 

“ Yes, but the place looks snaky, Mr. Rob ; and I dare- 
say there’s lots o’ them big spiders about.” 

“ What big spiders ? ” 

“ Them as bites so bad that you remember it for months. 
Why, there’s one sort out in these parts as ’ll run after you 
and attack you — fierce.” 

“ No, no, Shaddy, not spiders,” said Rob, laughing. 

“ Look ye here, Mr. Rob, sir,” said Shaddy solemnly, 
“ when I tell you a story of the good old traveller sort — I 
mean a bouncer — you’ll see the corners of my lips screwed 
up. When I’m telling you what’s true as true, you’ll see I 
look solid as mahogany ; and that’s how I’m looking now.” 

“Yes, it’s true, Rob,” said Joe. “There are plenty of 
spiders out on the pampas — great fellows that will come at 
you and bite horribly.” 

“ I should like to see one,” said Rob. 

“Wait a bit, my lad, and you shall,” said Shaddy. — 
“ Humph ! don’t like this place at all,” he growled. “ Look 
there ! ” he continued, pointing at where three big trees lay 
close together, with their branches worn sharp by the action 
of the water. “ If there ain’t ’gators under all them sharp 
snags my name ain’t Shadrach Naylor ! Water’s quite still, 
too, there. I hope there ain’t anything worse.” 

“ Do you think we had better go on ? ” said Brazier. 

“ Nay, we’ll risk it, sir. Let’s wait till the fire burns up 
big and strong. We’ll have a roarer to-night, and that ’ll 
scare away most of the trash. Worst of it is, I’m ’fraid it 
’tracts the ’gators and fish.” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


ri 7 


CHAPTER XI. 

THE ANACONDA. 

“ I do like a good fire, Joe,” said Rob, as he gazed at the 
ruddy flames roaring up. 

“ Why, you’re not cold ? ” 

“ No, I’m hot, and this fire brings in a breeze and makes it 
cooler — on one side. But what I like in a fire of this kind 
is that you can burn as much wood as you like, and nobody 
can say it’s waste, because it’s doing good — clearing the 
ground for the trees around to grow. I say, look at the 
birds.” 

“ After supper,” said Joe, as he watched the actions of the 
principal boatman, who was head cook, and busily prepar- 
ing the ducks and two good-sized fish which they had caught 
by trailing a bait behind the boat as they came. 

“ Yes, I’m hungry,” said Rob. “ What’s that? ” 

“ It was Shaddy.” 

“ What ! tumbled in ? ” said Rob excitedly. 

“ No ; he took hold of a thick piece of branch and threw it 
into the water. — What did you do that for ? ” 

“ Scare them ’gators, my lad. There’s a whole school of 
’em out there, and I think they mean coming to supper. And 
fish too,” he added, as there was another splash and then 
another. 

By this time he was close alongside of the boat, under 
whose tent Mr. Brazier was busy by the light of a lantern 
making notes and lists of the flowers and orchid bulbs which 
he had secured that day. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


118 

“ Hadn’t we better put out a line, Shaddy ? If we caught 
a fish or two the men would be glad of them in the morn- 
ing.” 

“ No, Mr. Rob, sir ; I don’t suppose they’d bite now, and 
even if they did, so sure as you hooked one a smiler would 
get hold of it, and you don’t want another fight of that sort. 
I’m beginning to think that, we’d best get our bit o’ food, and 
then drop slowly down the river again.” 

“ What’s that ? ” said Brazier, looking up from his work. 
“That will not do, Naylor, we should miss no end of good 
plants.” 

“ Well, sir, better do that than get into a row with any of 
the natives here,” growled Shaddy. 

“ Why, you said there were no Indians near.” 

“ Tchah ! I mean the other natives — ’sects and rept’les 
and what not. But there, if we put a rope to the end of that 
largest tree and anchor ourselves yonder I don’t suppose we 
shall hurt. Eh ? All right,” he cried, in answer to a hint 
from the men ; “ supper’s ready, gentlemen.” 

“ And so are we,” said Rob with alacrity ; and he leaped 
off the gunwale on to the tree trunk by whose side it was 
moored. 

To all appearance it was a solid-looking stem of tons in 
weight, but covered with mosses, creepers, and orchids, 
which pretty well hid its bark. 

Rob’s intention was to run along it to the root end, which 
stood up close to the fire ; but, to his intense astonishment, 
he crashed through what was a mere outer shell of bark into 
so much dust and touchwood right up to the armpits, where 
he stuck, with a hedge of plants half-covering his face. 

Joe burst out into a fit of laughing, in which Rob joined 
as soon as the first startled sensation was over. 

“ Who’d have thought of that ? ” he cried. “ But, I say, 
I’m fast, Come and lend me a hand, I thought it was a 


THE GRAND CHACO. 119 

great solid trunk, and all inside here you can see it looks as 
if it was on fire. Oh ! oh ! Ah ! Help ! ” 

“ What’s the matter ? ” cried Brazier excitedly, as Shaddy 
and he stepped cautiously to the boy’s side, Joe having already 
mounted on the tree trunk. “ Not on fire, are you ? ” 

“ No, no,” gasped Rob in agonized tones ; and speaking 
in a frightened whisper, “There’s something alive in here.” 

“ Nippers o’ some kind, eh.” 

“ No, no,” cried Rob faintly ; “ I can feel it moving. Oh ! 
help ! It’s a snake.” , 

As he spoke there was a curious scuffling noise inside, as 
if something was struggling to extricate itself, and Shaddy 
lost no time. Bending down, he seized Rob by the chest 
under the armpits, stooped lower, gave one heave, and lifted 
him right out ; when, following close upon his legs, the head 
of a great serpent was thrust up, to look threateningly round 
for a moment. The next, the creature was gliding down 
through the dense coating of parasitical growth, and before 
a gun could be fetched from the cabin, or weapon raised, the 
rustling and movement on the side of the trunk had ceased, 
and Joe in turn gave a bound to one side. 

“ It’s coming along by here,” he cried, as in full belief 
that he would the next moment be enveloped in the monster’s 
coils, he made for the fire. 

“ Where is it now ? ” cried Shaddy, knife in hand. 

“ The grass is moving there,” said Brazier, pointing a little 
to the right, where the tree trunks cast a deep shadow. 

“ Can’t see— so plaguey dark,” growled the guide ; “ and 
it’s no good if I could. Yes, I can see the stuff moving now. 
He’s making for the water. Now, sir, send a charge o’ shot 
where the grass is waving.” 

But before Brazier could get a sight of the reptile it had 
glided into the river, down among the branches of the fallen 
tree, as if quite used to the intricate tangle of pointed wood 


120 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


beneath the bank, and accustomed to use it for a home of 
refuge, or lurking place from which to strike at prey. 

“ Did it seize you ? ” said Brazier excitedly. 

“ No, I only felt it strike against my leg and then press it 
to the side. I think I trod upon it'.” 

Made its home, I suppose, in the hollow tree. But you 
are sure you are not hurt, my boy — only frightened ? ” 

“ I couldn’t help being frightened,” said Rob, in rather an 
ill-used tone. 

“ Nobody says you could,” said Brazier, laughing. “ Master 
Giovanni seems to have been frightened too. Why, Rob, 
my lad, it would have almost frightened me into fits : I have 
such a horror of serpents. There, I believe, after all, these 
things are not so very dangerous.” 

“ Don’t know so much about that, sir,” said Shaddy. 
“ I’ve know’d ’em coil round and squeeze a deer to death, 
and then swallow it.” 

“ Yes, a small deer perhaps ; but the old travellers used 
to tell us about mighty boas and monstrous anacondas which 
could swallow buffaloes.” 

“ Ah ! they don’t grow so big as that now, sir. I’ve seen 
some pretty big ones, too, in my time, specially on the side 
of the river and up the Amazons.” 

“ Well, how big — how long have you ever seen one, 
Naylor?” 

“ Never seen one a hundred foot long,” said Shaddy 
drily. 

“ No, I suppose not. Come, what was the largest ? ” 

“ Largest I ever see, sir, was only the skin, as some half- 
caste chaps had got pegged out, and I dessay skinning had 
stretched it a bit.” 

“ Well, how long was that, Naylor ? ” 

“ That one was twenty-seven foot long, sir, and seven foot 
across ; and you may take my word for it as a thing like that, 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


121 


all muscles like iron — say six-and-twenty foot long and big- 
ger round than a man — would be an awkward customer to 
tackle. Big enough for anything.’-’ 

“ Quite, Naylor.” 

“ But how big was this one, do you think ? ” said Rob, 
who was getting over the perturbation caused by his adven- 
ture. 

“ Well, my lad, seeing what a bit of a squint I had of it, 
I should say it were thirteen or fourteen foot — p’raps fif- 
teen.” 

“ I thought it was nearer fifty,” said Rob. 

“Yes, you would then, my lad. But, never mind, it 
didn’t seize you. I dessay you scared it as much as it did 
you.” 

“ You will not be able to eat any supper, Rob, I suppose ? ” 
said Brazier rather maliciously. 

Rob looked doubtful, but he smiled ; and they went to the 
clearest place they could find, but not without sundry 
misgivings, for another tree sheltered them from the fire, 
which now sent forth a tremendous heat, and a cloud of 
golden sparks rose eddying and circling up to a dense cloud 
of smoke which glowed as if red-hot where it reflected the 
flames. This huge trunk, like the one through which Rob 
had slipped, was coated with parasitical growth, and though 
apparently solid, might, for all they knew, be hollow, and the 
nesting place of half a dozen serpents larger than the one 
they had seen. 

“ Hadn’t we better shift our quarters ? ” said Brazier. 

“Yes, do,” said Joe eagerly ; “ I hate snakes.” 

“ Nobody’s going to jump through that tree and ’sturb ’em, 
so I don’t s’pose they’ll ’sturb us. You see, they’re a curi- 
ous kind o’ beast, which is all alive and twine for a day or 
two till they get a good meal, and then they go to sleep for a 
month before they’re hungry again. It’s wonderful how 


122 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


stupid and sleepy they are when they’re like this. It takes 
some one to jump on ’em to rouse ’em up, like Mr. Rob 
did.” 

“Well, we must chance it,” said Brazier; and they seated 
themselves to their al fresco supper, over which Rob forgot 
his fright — his appetite returning, and the novelty of the 
position making everything delightful, in spite of the dis- 
comfort of their seat. For all around was so new, and there 
was a creepy kind of pleasure in sitting there by that crack- 
ling fire eating the delicious, hot, juicy birds, and all the 
while listening to the weird chorus of the forest, now in full 
swing. 

Rob paused in the picking of a tasty leg, deliciously 
cooked, and sat in a very unpolished way listening to the 
curious cries, when, raising his eyes, they encountered 
Brazier’s, who was similarly occupied. 

“ We’ve come to a wild enough place, Rob, my lad,” he 
said ; “ but I don’t think we wish to change.” 

“ Oh ! no,” said Rob, in a whisper. “ One can’t help 
being a bit frightened sometimes, but it is grand even if we 
see nothing more.” 

Shaddy uttered a low, jerky sound, which was meant for a 
laugh. 

“ See nothing more, lad ! ” he cried. “ Why, look here, 
you may go hundreds of miles to the south, the west and the 
north, and it’s all savage land that man has hardly ever 
crossed. Don’t you think there’s something more to be 
seen there ? Why, who knows but what we may come upon 
strange wild beasts such as nobody has ever set eyes on 

before, and Why, what’s the matter with our young 

skipper ? ” 

Joe was opposite to him, staring wildly, his eyelids so 
drawn back that he showed a circle of white around the 
irises, and his lips were apart from his teeth. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


123 


“ Why, what’s the matter, lad ? They haven’t put any 
poison stuff in your victuals, have they ? ” 

Joe made no reply, but sat staring wildly still, not at 
Shaddy, but in the direction of the river beyond. 

“ What’s the matter, my lad ? ” said Brazier. 

“ I know ! ” cried Shaddy ; “ where’s your guns ? It’s 
them ’gators coming up out of the water, and it’s what I ex- 
pected.” 

“ No, no,” whispered the boy excitedly : “ look lower ! ” 

All followed his pointing finger, but for the moment they 
could see nothing, one of the men having thrown some fresh 
fuel upon the fire, which was emitting more smoke than blaze. 

“ Hi ! one of you ! ” cried Shaddy, “ stir that fire.” 

One of the men seized the end of a burning limb, shook it 
about a little, and a roar of flame ascended skyward, lighting 
up the river and the trees beyond, but above all, striking just 
upon the rotten trunk through which Rob fell. There they 
saw a something glistening and horrible, as it swayed and 
undulated and rose and fell, with its neck all waves and its 
eyes sparkling in the golden blaze of the fire. Now it sank 
down till it was almost hidden among the parasitic plants ; 
now it slowly rose, arching its neck, and apparently watching 
the party near the fire ; while moment by moment its aspect 
was so menacing that Joe thought it would launch itself upon 
them and seize one to appease its rage. 

“ It’s — it’s come back ! ” he whispered faintly. 

“ Not it,” growled Shaddy ; “ this one’s twice as big as 
t’other. It’s its father or mother, p’r’aps. Better have a 
shot at it, sir.” 

Yes,” said Brazier, slowly raising his gun, “ but this light 
is so deceptive I am not at all sure that I can hit.’ 

“Oh, you’ll hit him full enough,” said Shaddy. “You 
must hit it, sir. Why, if you missed, the beast would come 
down upon us as savage as a tiger. Take a good, quiet aim 


124 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


down low so as to hit his neck, if you don’t his head. Are 
you cocked ? ” 

“ Tut ! tut ! ” muttered Brazier, who in his excitement had 
forgotten this necessary preliminary, and making up for the 
omission. 

“ Come, Mr. Rob, sir, don’t miss your chance of having a 
shot at a ’conda. ’Tain’t everybody who gets such a shotas 
that.” 

Rob mechanically picked up his piece, examined the 
breech, and then waited for Mr. Brazier to fire, feeling sure 
the while that if it depended upon him the creature would go 
off scathless. 

“ Now’s your time, sir ! ” whispered Shaddy. “ He is put 
out, and means mischief. I’d let him have the small shot 
just beneath the jaws, if I could. Wait a moment, till he’s 
quiet. Rather too much waving about him yet. Look out, 
sir ! he’s getting ready to make a dart at us, I do believe ! ” 

But still Brazier did not fire, for the peculiar undulatory 
motion kept up by the serpent, as seen by the light of the 
fire, was singularly deceptive, and again and again the leader 
of the little expedition felt that if he fired it would be to 
miss. 

Shaddy drew in a long breath, and gazed impatiently at 
Brazier, who was only moved by one idea — that of making 
a dead shot, to rid their little camp of a horrible-looking 
enemy. 

Then the chance seemed to be gone, for by one quick 
movement of the lithe body and neck the head dropped 
down amongst the plants which clothed the tree trunk. 

“ Gone ! ” gasped Rob, with a sigh of satisfaction. 

“Eyes right!” cried Shaddy; “he hasn’t gone. He’ll 
rise close in somewhere. Look out, gentlemen — look out ! ” 

He was excited, and drew his knife, as if expecting dan- 
ger. And it was not without cause, for almost directly after 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


I2 5 

the keen steel blade had flashed in the light of the fire, the 
hideous head of the serpent rose up not ten feet away, with 
its eyes glittering, the scales burnished like bright, many- 
shaded bronze, and the quick, forked tongue darting in and 
out from its formidable jaws. 

The head kept on rising till it was fully six feet above the 
growth, when it was rapidly drawn back, as if to be darted 
forward ; but at that moment both Rob and Brazier fired 
together, and as the smoke cleared away another cloud of 
something seemed to be playing about on the ground, but a 
solid cloud, before which everything gave way, while some 
great flail-like object rapidly beat down plant and shrub. 

All shrank away, and, as if moved by one impulse, took 
refuge behind the roaring fire, feeling, as they did, that their 
dangerous visitor would not attempt to pass that in making 
an attack upon those sheltered by so menacing an outwork. 

There was something terribly appalling in the struggles of 
the silent monster, as it writhed and twisted itself into knots ; 
then unfolded with the rapidity of lightning, and waving its 
tail in the air, again beat down the bushes and luxuriant 
growth around. 

That it was fearfully wounded was evident, for after a few 
moments all could plainly see that it was actuated by a 
blind fury, and in its agony vented its rage upon everything 
around. And as it continued its struggles, moment by 
moment it approached nearer to the blazing fire, till all stood 
waiting in horror for the moment when one of its folds would 
touch the burning embers and the struggles come to a fright- 
ful end. 

But all at once the writhings ceased, and the reptile lay 
undulating and heaving gently among the dense beaten-down 
growth. 

“ Stop ! ” said Brazier sharply, as the guide moved ; “ what 
are you going to do ? ” 











THE GRAND CHACO. 


127 


“ Put him out of his misery,” replied Shaddy, quietly. 
“ Hi ! you there : give me the axe.” 

“No,” said Brazier, firmly, “it is too risky a task; you 
shall not attempt it.” 

Shaddy uttered a low growl, like some thwarted animal, 
and said, in an ill-used tone — 

“ Why, I could fetch his head oh with one good chop, 
and ” 

“ Look, look ! ” cried Joe. “ Mind ! Take care ! ” 

“ Yes,” shouted Rob ; “ it’s coming round this way.” 

Neither could see the reptile ; but the swaying herbage, 
and the rustling, crackling sound showed that it was in rapid 
motion. 

“Nay,” growled Shaddy, “ he ain’t coming this way — only 
right-about-facing. It is his nature to ; he’s going to make 
for the water. That’s what those things do : get down to 
the bottom and lie there, to be out o’ danger. Look, Mr. 
Rob, sir ; you can see now what a length he is. One part’s 
going one way, and the t’other part t’other way. Now he’s 
turned the corner, and going straight for the river.” 

With Shaddy’s words to guide them, they could easily make 
out what was taking place, as the reptile now made for the 
place of refuge already sought by its companion. 

Just then Brazier cocked his piece — click, click — and took 
a few steps forward to try and get a sight of the creature 
before it reached the river bank. 

“ May as well save your shot, sir,” said Shaddy gruffly. 
“ He’s going into the water bleeding pretty free, I know ; 
and there’s them waiting below as will be at him as soon as 
they smell blood.” 

“ How horrible ! ” cried Rob. 

“ Ay, ’tis, sir, or seems so to us ; but it’s nature’s way of 
clearing off all the sickly and wounded things from the face 
of the earth.” 


128 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ But what will dare to attack such a terrible beast ? ” 

Shaddy chuckled. 

“ Anything— everything, sir ; little and big. Why, them 
little pirani fishes will be at him in thousands, and there s 
’gators enough within fifty yards to make a supper of him as 
if he was spitchcocked eel. Ah ! there he goes part of 
him’s in the water already ; but I should have liked the 
master to have his skin.” 

Invisible though the serpent was, its course was evident 
by the rustling and movement of the growth, and some idea 
too was gained of the reptile’s length. 

“ There ! what did I say ? ” shouted Shaddy excitedly, as 
all at once there was the sound of splashing and agitation 
in the water down beneath the submerged trees ; and directly 
after the serpent’s tail rose above the trunk of one of those 
lying prone, and gleamed and glistened in the blaze as it un- 
dulated and bent and twined about. Then it fell with a splash 
and beat the water, rose again quivering seven or eight feet 
in the air, while the water all around seemed terribly agitated. 
There was a snapping sound, too, horribly ominous in its 
nature, and the rushing and splashing went on as the tail of 
the serpent fell suddenly, rose once more as if the rest of the 
long lithe body were held below, and finally disappeared, 
while the splashing continued for a few minutes longer before 
all was silent once more. 

Rob drew a long breath, and Joe shuddered. 

“ Well,” said Shaddy quietly, “ that’s just how you take it, 
young gentlemen. Seems so horrible because it was a big 
serpent. If it had been a worm six inches long you wouldn’t 
have thought anything of it. Look at my four chaps there : 
they don’t take any notice — don’t seem horrid to them.— - 
You’ll get used to it.” 

“ Impossible ! ” said Brazier. 

“ Oh ! I don’t know, sir,” continued Shaddy. “ You’ve 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


129 

come out where you wanted to, in the wildest wilds, where 
the beasts have it all their own way, and they do as they 
always do, go on eating one another up. Why, I’ve noticed 
that it isn’t only the birds, beasts, and fishes, but even the 
trees out here in the forest do just the same.” 

“ Nonsense ! ” cried Rob merrily. “ Eat one another ? ” 
“Yes, sir; that’s it, rum as it sounds to you. I’ll tell you 
how it is. A great ball full of nuts tumbles down from one 
of the top branches of a tree, when it’s ripe, bang on to the 
hard ground, splits, and the nuts fly out all round, right 
amongst the plants and rotten leaves. After a bit the nuts 
begin to swell : then a shoot comes out, and another out of 
it. Then one shoot goes down into the ground to make roots 
and the other goes up to make a tree. They’re all doing the 
same thing, but one of ’em happens to have fallen in the 
place where there’s the best soil, and he grows bigger and 
stronger than the others, and soon begins to smother them 
by pushing his branches and leaves over them. Then they 
get spindly and weak, and worse and worse, because the big 
one shoves his roots among them too ; and at last they 
wither and droop, and die, and rot, and the big strong one 
regularly eats up with his roots all the stuff of which they 
were made ; and in a few years, instead of there being thirty 
or forty young trees, there’s only one, and it gets big.” 

“ Why, Naylor, you are quite a philosopher! ” said Brazier, 
smiling. 

“ Am I, sir ? Didn’t know it ; but a man like me couldn’t 
be out in the woods always without seeing that. Why, you’d 
think, with such thousands of trees always falling and rot- 
ing away, that the ground would be feet deep in leaf mould 
and decayed wood ; but if you go right in the forest you’ll 
find how the roots eat it up as fast as it’s made.” 

“But what about these big trunks ? ” said Joe, pointing to 
the fallen trees. 


9 


i3° 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ Them ? Well, they’re going into earth as fast as they 
can, and in a few years there’ll be nothing of ’em left. Why, 
look at that one : it’s as if it were burning away now,” he 
continued, pointing to the hole through whichRob had fallen ; 
“ that’s nature at work making the tree, now it’s dead, turn 
into useful stuff for the others to feed on.” 

“ Yes,” said Brazier, as he broke out a piece of the lu- 
minous touchwood, which gleamed in the darkness when it 
was screened from the fire : “ that’s a kind of phosphoric 
fungus, boys.” 

“ Looks as if it would burn one’s fingers,” said Joe, han- 
dling the beautiful piece of rotten, glowing wood. 

“ Yes : and so do other things out here,” said Shaddy. 
“ There’s plenty of what I call cold fire ; but you’ll soon see 
enough of that.” 

Shaddy ceased speaking, for at that moment a strange, 
thrilling sound came from the depths of the forest, not more, 
apparently, than a hundred yards away. 

Its effect was electrical. 

The half-breed natives who formed Shaddy’s crew of boat- 
men had watched the encounters with the two serpents in 
the most unconcerned way, while the weird chorus of sounds 
from the depths of the forest, with yells, howls, and cries of 
dangerous beasts, was so much a matter of course that they 
did not turn their heads even at the nearest roar, trusting, 
as they did, implicitly in the security afforded them by the 
fire. But now, as this strange sound rang out, silencing the 
chorus of cries, they leaped up as one man, and made for 
the boat, hauling on the rope, and scrambling in as fast as 
possible. 

Rob’s first impulse was to follow suit, especially as Giovanni 
took a few hurried steps, and tripping over a little bush, fell 
headlong. But seeing that Shaddy stood fast, and that Bra- 
zier cocked his piece, he stopped where he was, though his 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


heart throbbed heavily, and his breath came as if there were 
some strange oppression at his chest. 

“ What’s that ? ” whispered Brazier, as the thrilling sound 
died away, leaving the impression behind that some huge 
creature must be approaching in a threatening manner, for a 
curious rustling followed the cry. 

“Well, sir,” said Shaddy, taking off his cap, and giving 
his head a rub as if to brighten his brain, “ that’s what I 
want to know.” 

“ You don’t know ? ” 

“ No, sir,” said the man, coolly ; “ I know pretty well every 
noise as is to be heard out here but that one, and it down- 
right puzzles me. First time I heard it I was sitting by my 
fire cooking my dinner — a fat, young turkey I’d shot — and I 
ups and runs as hard as ever I could, and did not stop till 
I could go no further. Ah ! I rec’lect it now, how hungry 
and faint I was, for I dursent go back, and I dessay what- 
ever the beast was who made that row ate my turkey. Nex’ 
time I heard it I didn’t run. I was cooking ducks then, and 
I says to myself ‘ I’ll take the ducks,’ and I did, and walked 
off as fast as I could to my boat.” 

“ And you did not see it ? ” 

“ No, sir. P’raps we shall this time ; I hope so, for I 
want to know. Third time never fails, so if you don’t mind 
we’ll all be ready with our guns and wait for him. May be 
something interesting to a nat’ral hist’ry gent like you, and 
we may get his head and skin for you to take home to the 
Bri’sh Museum. What do you say ? ” 

“ Well,” said Brazier, drily, “ self-preservation’s the first 
law of nature. I do not want to show the white feather, but 
really I think we had better do as the men have done — get 
on board and wait for our enemy there. What do you say, 
lads ? ” 

“ Decidedly, yes,” cried both eagerly. 


132 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ But we don’t know as it is our enemy yet, sir,” replied 
Shaddy, thoughtfully. “ Hah ! hark at that ! ” 

“ They needed no telling, for all shivered slightly, as an- 
other cry, very different from the last, rang out from the 
forest, half roar, half howl, of a most appalling nature. 

“ Here, let’s get on board,” said Brazier. 

“ Not for that, sir,” cried Shaddy, with one of his curiously 
harsh laughs. “ Why, that’s only one of them big howling 
monkeys who would go off among the branches twisting his 
tail, and scared ’most into fits if you looked at him.” 

“ A monkey ! ” cried Rob. “ Are you sure ? ” 

“ Oh, yes, I’m sure enough ’bout that, gentlemen. It’s the 
other thing that puzzles me.” 

They ceased speaking and stood watchfully waiting ; but 
after a retrograde movement toward the boat, so as to be 
able to retreat at any moment. The cry was not repeated, 
though, and the feeling of awe began to die off, but only to 
return on Shaddy continuing, — 

“ There’s a something there, or else that there howler 
wouldn’t have hollered once and then gone off. The lions 
and tigers, too, have slinked away. That’s a lion — puma 
you call him — ever so far off ; and I can hear a couple of 
tigers quite faint-like; but all the things near here have 
stopped calling, and that shows there’s that thing prowling 
about.” 

“ But the men ? ” whispered Rob. “ They ran away as if 
they knew what it was.” 

“ Tchah ! They don’t know. Their heads are full of 
bogies. Soon as they hear a noise, and can’t tell what it is, 
they say it ? s an evil spirit or a goblin or ghost. Babies they 
are. Why, if I was to go near a lot of natives in the dark, 
hide myself, and let go with a Scotch bagpipes, they’d run 
for miles and never come nigh that part of the forest again.” 

All at once the chorus in the forest was resumed, with so 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


J 33 

much force that it sounded as if the various creatures had 
been holding their noises back and were now trying hard to 
make up for the previous check. 

That was Rob’s opinion, and he gave it in a whisper to 
his companion. 

“ Then, it’s gone,” said Joe. “ I say, didn’t you feel 
scared ? ” 

“ Horribly.” 

“ Then I’m not such a coward after all. I felt as if I 
must run.” 

“ So you did when the serpent came.” 

“ Well, isn’t it enough to make one ? You English 
fellows have the credit of being so brave that you will 
face anything without being frightened ; but I believe you 
are frightened all the same.” 

“ Of course we are,” said Rob, “ only Englishmen will 
never own they are frightened even to themselves, and that’s 
why they face anything.” 

“ Then you are not an Englishman ? ” said Joe. 

“ No, only an English boy,” said Rob, laughing. “ I say, 
though, never mind about bragging. I’m precious glad, 
whatever it was, that it has gone.” 

“ I remember now my father telling me about his hearing 
some horrible noise in the Grand Chaco one night when the 
schooner was at anchor close in shore. He said it gave 
him quite a chill; but I didn’t take any more notice of it 
then. It must have been one of those things.” 

“ No doubt,” said Brazier, who had overheard his words ; 

“ but there, our adventure is over for this time, and it will be 
something to think about in the future.” 

“ Perhaps we shall see it yet,” said Rob. 

“ I hope not,” cried Joe uneasily. 

“ Gone, Naylor ? ” continued Brazier. 

“ Yes, sir, I think so.” 


134 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“Good job too. Why, Naylor, my man, I never thought 
you were going to bring us to such a savage, dangerous place 
as this.” 

“ What ? Come, sir, I like that ! Says to me, you did, ‘ I 
want you to guide me to some part of the country where I can 
enter the prime forest.’ ” 

“ Primeval,” said Brazier, correctively. 

“That’s right, sir. 1 Where,’ you says, ‘the foot of man 
has never trod, and I may see Natur’ just as she is, untouched, 
unaltered by any one. Do you know such a place ? ’ Them 
was your very words, and Master Rob heered you.” 

“ Quite true, my man.” 

“ And I says to you, ‘ I knows the spot as ’ll just suit you. 
Trust to me,’ I says, ‘ and I’ll take you there, where you may 
see birds, beasts, and fishes, and as many of them flowers — 
orkards you called ’em — as grows on trees, as you like ’ ; and 
now here you are sir, and you grumble.” 

“Not a bit, Naylor.” 

“ But, begging your pardon, sir, you do ; and I appeals to 
Master Rob whether I arn’t done my dooty.” 

“ No need to appeal to Rob, Naylor, for I do not grumble. 
You have done splendidly for me. Why, man, I am delighted ; 
but you must not be surprised at my feeling startled when 
anacondas come to supper, and we are frightened out of our 
wits by cries that impress even you.” 

“ Then you are satisfied, sir ? ” 

“ More than satisfied.” 

“ And you don’t want to go back ? ” 

“ Of course not. What do you say, Rob ? Shall we re- 
turn ? ” 

“ Oh no— not on any account ; only let’s keep more in the 
boat.” 

“ Yes, I think we are safer there,” said Brazier. “ But our 
friend, or enemy, seems to have gone.” 


THE GRANT) CHACO. 


J 35 

“ Wait a bit, sir,” replied Shaddy ; “ and glad I am that 
you’re satisfied. Let me listen a while.” 

They were silent, and stood listening as well, and watching 
the weird effects produced by the fire, as from time to time 
one of the pieces of wood which the men had planted round 
the blaze in the shape of a cone fell in, sending up a whirl 
of flame and glittering sparks high in air, lighting up the trees 
and making them seem to wave with the dancing flames. 
The wall of forest across the river, too, appeared to be peopled 
with strange shadows, and the effect was more strange as the 
fire approached nearer to the huge butt of the largest tree, 
throwing up its jagged roots against the dazzling light, so 
that it was as if so many gigantic stag-horns had been planted 
at a furnace mouth. 

And all the while the fiddling, piping, strumming and hoot- 
ing, with screech, yell and howl, went on in the curious chorus, 
for they were indeed deep now in one of Nature’s fastnesses, 
where the teeming life had remained untouched by man. 

“ Well,” said Brazier at last to the guide, whose figure, seen 
by the light of the fire, looked as wild as the surroundings, 
“ had we not better get on board? You can hear nothing 
through that din.” 

“ Oh yes, I can, sir,” replied Shaddy. “ I’ve got so used 
to it o’ nights that I can pick out any sound I like from the 
rest. But we may as well turn in. The fire will burn till 
morning, and even if it wouldn’t, those chaps of mine wouldn’t 
go ashore again to-night ; and I certainly don’t feel disposed 
to go and mend the fire myself, for fear of getting something 
on my shoulder I don’t understand.” 

“ It has gone, though,” said Brazier. 

“ Something moving there,” whispered Rob, pointing to 
the gilded mass of foliage beyond and to the left of the fire. 

“ Eh ! where ? ” cried Shaddy. “ Nay, only the fire making 
it look as if the trees were waving. Nothing there, my lad. 


i 3 6 


THE GRAND CHA :0. 


Whatever it is, it has slinked off into the forest again. The 
fire drew it this way, I suppose. There, we’ve heard the 
last of him for to-night. Sings well when he do oblige.” 

“ I should have liked to hear the cry once more, though,” 
said Brazier ; and as the words left his lips the horrible noise 
rang out, apparently from behind the fire, and without hesi- 
tation the little party hurried on board the boat. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


J 37 


CHAPTER XII. 

A NARROW ESCAPE. 

That last movement was not performed without difficulty, 
for at this fresh alarm, urged by a desire for self-preservation, 
the men had thrust the boat away from the bank, and were 
actually in the act of unfastening the mooring rope, when 
Rob shouted to Shaddy. 

“ What ! ” he roared, running to the other end where it was 
fast to a branch, and then yelling out such a furious tirade 
of words in their own tongue that the men shrank back, and 
the boat was drawn close in among the boughs that were worn 
sharp by the action of the stream. 

“ Lucky for them,” growled Shaddy, as he held the boat’s 
gunwale for the others to get on board, while the singular 
# silence which had followed the first cry of the beast was again 
maintained. “ I never did break a man’s neck yet, Master 
Rob,” he whispered, as they took their places on board, “ and 
I never mean to if I can help it ; but if those fellows had run 
off and left us in the lurch I’d have gone as far as I could 
without doing it quite.” 

“ First catch your hare,” whispered back Rob, who felt better 
now he was safe on board, with the boat gliding outward to 
the full length of the mooring line. 

“ Eh ! what hare ? No hares about here,” said Shaddy. 

“ I mean, how would you have managed to punish the men 
if they had gone off and left us here ? ” 

“I never thought of that,” said Shaddy, shaking his head ; 
and then they all sat in the boat listening and thinking that 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


138 

it was a good thing they had had enough supper before the 
interruption. 

There was no fresh alarm that night. The birds, insects, 
quadrupeds, and reptiles resumed their performances, the 
boatmen settled down to sleep, and at last, after watching 
the fire sinking, rising up as some piece of wood fell in, and 
then blazing brightly just beyond the great root, the hole from 
which this had been wrenched having been selected by the 
crew of the boat as an excellent place for cooking, Rob sud- 
denly fell asleep, to dream of huge boa-constrictors and ana- 
condas twisting themselves up into knots which they could 
not untie. 

It only seemed to be a few minutes since Rob had lain 
down, when he awoke with a start to gaze about him, won- 
dering where he was and why the awning looked so light. 
Then coming to the conclusion that it was sunrise, and being 
still weary and drowsy, he was about to close his eyes again 
and follow the example of those about him, when he became 
conscious of a peculiar odor and a choking smell of burning* 

This completely aroused him, and hurriedly creeping from 
beneath the awning without awakening his companions, he 
found that the boatmen and Shaddy were fast asleep and a 
line of fire rapidly approaching them from the shore ; not 
with any rush of flame, but in a curious sputtering smoulder- 
ing way, as the touchwood of which the huge trunk to which 
they were tethered was composed rapidly burned away. 

It was all plain enough : the root had caught fire at last 
from the intense heat so near and gradually started the rest> 
so that as Rob gazed shoreward there was a dull incandescent 
trunk where the previous night there had been one long line 
of beautiful orchids and epiphytic plants. 

But there was no time to waste. Waking Shaddy with a 
sharp slap on the shoulder, that worthy started up, saw the 
mischief pointed out, and, shouting, “ Only shut my eyes be- 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


*39 

cause the fire made ’em ache,” he took up a boathook, went 
right forward, trampling on the boatmen in his eagerness, and 
hauling on the line, drew the boat close up to the glowing 
trunk, hitching on to one of the neighboring branches, and 
holding on just in time, for the rope gave way, burned through 
as he got hold, and the smouldering end dropped into the 
water, giving a hiss like a serpent as the glowing end was 
quenched. 

Brazier and Giovanni were aroused before this, and were- 
fully alive to the peril which had been averted by Rob’s op- 
portune awakening. 

11 Why,” cried Brazier, “we should have been drifting down 
the stream, and been carried miles, and in all probability cap- 
sized.” 

Shaddy made no reply for the moment, but busied himself 
in altering the position of the boat before letting go, and 
then hooking the bough of another of the trees, one which 
did not communicate with the fire, and to this he made fast 
before rising up in the boat, taking off his cap, and dashing 
it down. 

“ Yes,” he said harshly, “ right, sir. We should have been 
carried right down the stream Be off, you brute ! ” 

This was to an alligator which was approaching the boat 
with the protuberances above its eyes just visible, and as he 
uttered the abjuration he made a stroke with the hitcher har- 
poon fashion, struck the reptile full on its tough hide, and 
there was a swirl, a rush, and a tremendous splash of water 
full in Shaddy’s face as the creature struck the surface with 
its tail and then disappeared. 

“ Thank ye,” growled Shaddy, wiping his face ; “ but you 
got the worst of it, mate. As aforesaid, maybe, Mr. Brazier, 
sir, we should ha’ been carried right down the stream, and 
run on a sharp root or trunk as would ha’ drove a hole 
through the boat or capsized us, and there’d ha’ been the end.” 


140 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ What could you have been thinking of, Naylor ? ” cried 
Brazier angrily; while Rob looked pityingly and feeling 
sorry for the staunch, brave man, who stood there abashed 
by his position. 

“Warn’t thinking at all, sir,” he growled. “ Only ought to 
ha’ been. There, don’t make it worse, sir, by bullying me. 
You trusted me, and I thought I was fit to trust, but there’s 
the vanity o’ man’s natur’. I arn’t fit to trust, so I’d take it 
kindly if you’d knock me overboard ; but you’d better knock 
my stoopid head off first to save pain.” 

This was all spoken with the most utter seriousness, and 
as Shaddy finished he slowly laid down the boat-hook and 
looked full in Brazier’s eyes, with the result that Rob burst 
into a roar of laughter. Joe followed suit, and after an 
attempt to master himself and frown Brazier joined in, the 
mirth increasing as Shaddy said sternly, — 

“ Oh, it arn’t nothing to laugh at ! If Master Rob there 
hadn’t woke up before morning, the ’gators and pirani, with- 
out counting the other critters, would have been having a 
treat. I tell you I’m ashamed of myself, and the sooner an 
end’s made of me the better. Why, you ought to do it, sir, 
in self-defence.” 

“ How near are we to morning ? ” said Brazier. 

“ ’Tis morning now, sir. Sun ’ll be up in less ’an half an 
hour. No dawn here.” 

“ Then we had better have breakfast at once, and start, 
for this is anything but a pleasant spot.” 

“ Ain’t you going to knock me overboard, sir?” said 
Shaddy. 

“ No.” 

“ Well, ain’t you going to knock me down ? ” 

“ No ; I’m not going to knock you down either, my good 
fellow. You’ve made a mistake. Overtired, I suppose, and 
you dropped asleep. It was terribly neglectful of you, but 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


141 

I hope and trust that such an error may not be made 
again.” 

“ What ? ” 

“ Surely I need not repeat my words. You were overcome 
by fatigue and slept. I ask you for all our sakes to be more 
careful in the future.” 

“ Here, I say, Master Rob,” cried Shaddy huskily, and he 
gave his eyes a rub, “ am I still asleep ? ” 

44 No Shaddy, wide awake, and listening to Mr. Brazier.” 

“ Well, then, it’s a rum un. But, I say, look here, sir ; 
you’re never going to trust me again ? ” 

“ I am going to treat you with full confidence, just as I 
trusted you before, Naylor,” replied Brazier. 

“ Master Rob’s asleep too,” growled the man. “ It can’t 
be true. Here, I say, Mr. Jovanny, give a look at me and 
tell me, am I awake or no ? ” 

“Awake, of course,” said Joe. 

“ Then all I can say is, Mr. Brazier, sir,” said the guide, 
“ you’ve made me ten times more ashamed of myself than I 
was before, and that hurt I can’t bear it like.” 

“ Say no more about it, man,” said Brazier. “ There, it’s 
all over now. Let’s have breakfast, and then start for a long 
day’s collecting.” 

“ Not say no more about it ? ” cried Shaddy 

“ Not a word. It is all past and forgotten.” 

“ Can’t be,” growled Shaddy. 

“ It shall be,” said Brazier, turning to get his gun from 
under the canvas cabin. 

“ One moment — look here, sir,” said Shaddy j “ do you 
mean to say that you forgive me ? ” 

“ Yes, of course.” 

“ And I am not to say another word ? 

“ Yes.” 

“Then I’ll think,” said Shaddy, “and punish myself that 


142 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


way, Master Rob. I’ll always think about it at night when 
I’m on the watch. It ain’t likely that I shall ever go to 
sleep again on dooty with idees like that on my brain.” 

“No more talking; breakfast at once,” cried Brazier, 
issuing from the cabin. 

“ Right, sir,” said Shaddy, working the boat in close to the 
bank. “ Quick, my lads, and get that fire well alight.” 

The men were set ashore just as the sun rose and flooded 
everything with light, while a quarter of an hour later, as 
Brazier was patiently watching one of the tunnel-like open- 
ings opposite in the hope of seeing a deer come down to 
drink and make them a good meal or two for a couple of 
days, Shaddy drew Rob’s attention to the black-looking 
forms of several alligators floating about a few feet below. 

“The brutes!” said the lad. “Just like efts in an 
aquarium at home.” 

“ Only a little bigger, my lad. I say, there he is — one 
of ’em.” 

He pointed down through the clear water illumined now 
by the sun so that the bottom was visible, and there coiled 
up and apparently asleep lay either the anaconda of the 
previous night or one of its relatives, perfectly motionless 
and heedless of the boat, which floated like a black shadow 
over its head. 

“ Might kill it if we had what sailors call the grains to 
harpoon him with,” said Shaddy ; “ but I don’t know, he’d 
be an ugly customer to tackle. I say, look out, sir,” he 
whispered, “ yonder across the river.” 

Brazier glanced a little to his left, and directly after his 
piece rang out with a loud report and a deer fell dead — not 
having moved an inch, when the boat was with difficulty 
rowed across, and the welcome addition to their larder 
secured amidst the chattering of monkeys and the screaming 
of great macaws. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


U3 

An hour later breakfast was at an end, the boat loosened 
from the moorings where the anaconda still lay asleep in ten 
feet of water, and they glided down the stream to commence 
another adventurous day, amidst scenery which grew more 
wondrously beautiful with every mile. 


144 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


CHAPTER XIII. 

A FRIENDLY PUMA. 

“ Like it, gentlemen ? That’s right. On’y you are sure — 
quite sure ? ” 

“ Oh yes, we’re sure enough ! ” replied Rob, as he watched 
the endless scenes of beautiful objects they passed. “ It’s 
glorious.” 

“ Don’t find it too hot, I s’pose, sir? ” 

“ Oh, it’s hot enough,” interposed Giovanni ; “ but we 
don’t mind, do we, Rob ? ” 

“Not a bit. What fruit’s that ? ” 

“ Which ? ” said Shaddy. 

“ That, on that tree high up, swinging in the wind — the dark 
brown thing, like a great nut with a long stalk.” 

He pointed to the object which had taken his attention. 

“ G’long with yer,” growled Shaddy. “ I thought you was 
in arnest.” 

“ So I am,” cried Rob, looking at the man wonderingly. 
“ I mean that one. It isn’t a cocoanut, because the tree is 
different, and I know that cocoanuts grow on a kind of 
palm.” 

“ And that kind o’ nut don’t, eh ? ” said Shaddy puckering 
his face. “ Why you are laughing at me.” 

“ Nonsense ! I am not ! ” cried Rob. “ You don’t see the 
fruit I mean. There, on that tallest tree with the great branch 
sticking out and hanging over the others. There now ! can 
you see ? ” 

“ No,” said Shaddy grimly ; “ it’s gone.” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


J 45 

“ Yes ; how curious that it should drop just at that moment. 
I saw it go down among the trees. You did see it ? ” 

“Oh yes. I see it plain enough.” 

“ And you don’t know what fruit it was ? ” 

“ Warn’t a fruit at all, sir.” 

“ What then ? some kind of nut ? ” 

“ No, sir ; warn’t nut at all. It was a nut-cracker.” 

Rob looked at him seriously. 

“Who’s joking now?” he said. 

“ Not me, sir,” replied Shaddy. “That was a nut-cracker 
sure enough.” 

“Is that the native name ? ” 

Joe burst into a roar of laughter, and Rob colored, for there 
was a feeling of annoyance rising within him at being the butt 
of the others’ mirth. 

“ Have I said something very stupid ? ” he asked. 

“ Why, couldn’t you see ? ” cried Joe eagerly. “ It was a 
monkey.” 

“I did not see any monkey,” said Rob coldly. “I was 
talking about that great brown husky-looking fruit, like a co- 
coanut hanging by a long stalk in that tree. Look ! there 
are two more lower down ! ” he cried eagerly, as the boat 
glided round a bend into a long reach, two of the men being 
at the oars backing water a little from time to time with a 
gentle dip, so as to keep the boat’s head straight and check 
her to enable Brazier to scan the banks through the little 
binocular glass he carried, and be rowed close in when he 
wished to obtain specimens. 

“ Yes : there’s two more lower down,” said Shaddy with 
his face puckered up like the shell of a walnut, and then Rob’s 
mouth expanded into a grin as wide as that of Joe’s and he 
laughed heartily. 

“ Well,” he cried, “ that is comic, and no mistake. I really 
thought it was some kind of fruit. It was a monkey.” 

io 


146 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ You ain’t the first as made that mistake, Mr. Rob, sir,” 
said Shaddy. “ You see, they just take a turn with their tails 
round a branch, draws their legs up close, and cuddles them 
with their long arms round ’em, and then they looks just like 
the hucks of a cocoanut.” 

“ Like the what ? ” cried Rob. 

“ Hucks of a cocoanut.” 

“ Oh— husk.” 

“ You may call it ‘ husk ’ if you like, sir : I calls it ‘ hucks.’ 
Then they hangs head downwards, and goes to sleep like that 
I believe. Wonderful thing a monkey’s tail is. Why, I’ve 
seen the young ones hold on to their mother by giving it a 
turn round the old girl’s neck. They’re all like that out here. 
Ring-tail monkeys we call ’em.” 

While they were talking the last two monkeys had swung 
themselves to and fro, and then lowered themselves down 
among the branches to get close to the river and watch the 
boat, like a couple of tiny savages stricken with wonder at 
the coming of the strange white men, and chattering away to 
each other their comments on all they saw. 

The progress made was very slow, for the boat was con- 
stantly being anchored, so to speak, by the men rowing in 
and holding on by the hanging boughs of trees, while Brazier 
cut and hacked off bulb and blossom in what, with glowing 
face, he declared to be a perfect naturalist’s paradise. 

They had been floating down a few miles when, right ahead 
the stream seemed to end, the way being blocked entirely 
by huge trees, and as they drew nearer there appeared to 
be a repetition of the entrance from the great river, where 
they passed along through the dark tunnel overhung by 
trees. 

“ Oh, it’s all right, sir,” said Shaddy, on being appealed to. 
“ Dessay we shall find a way on.” 

“Of course,” replied Brazier, who only had eyes for the 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


H7 

plants he was collecting and hardly looked up ; “ this great 
body of water must go somewhere.” 

“ Look sharp round to the left ! ” cried Rob, standing up 
in the boat as they glided round a bend where the stream 
nearly turned upon itself and then back again, forming a 
complete S ; and as they moved round the second bend Rob 
uttered a shout of delight, for the banks receded on either 
hand, so that they appeared to have glided into a wide open- 
ing about a mile long, floored with dark green dotted with 
silver, through which in a sinuous manner the river wound. 
A minute later, though, the two lads saw that the river really 
expanded into a lake, the stream in its rapid course keeping 
a passage open, the rest of the water being densely covered 
with the huge, circular leaves of a gigantic water-lily whose 
silvery blossoms peered up among the dark green leaves. 

“ Look at the jacanas ! ” cried Joe, pointing to a number 
of singular-looking birds like long-necked and legged moor- 
hens, but provided with exaggerated toes, these being of such 
a length that they easily supported their owners as they 
walked about or ran on the floating leaves. 

“ Wouldn’t be a bad place for a camp, sir,” suggested 
Shaddy, when they were about half-way along the lake, and 
he pointed to a spot on their left where the trees stood back, 
leaving a grassy expanse not unlike the one at which they 
had first halted, only of far greater extent. 

“ Yes, excellent,” replied Brazier ; “ but can we get there ?” 

“Oh, yes, sir; I’ll soon make a way through the leaves.” 

Shaddy seized a pole, said a few words to his men, and 
stepped right to the front of the boat, where he stood thrust- 
ing back the vegetation as it collected about the bows, while 
the men rowed hard, forcing the boat onward, the huge leaves 
being sent to right and left and others passing right under 
the keel, but all floating back to their former positions, so 
that as Rob looked back the jacanas were again running over 


148 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


the vegetation which had re-covered the little channel the 
boat had made. 

In all probability a vessel had never entered that lake be- 
fore, and it caused so little alarm that great fish, which had 
been sheltering themselves beneath the dark green disk-like 
leaves, lazily issued from their lurking places to stare so 
stupidly, often even with their back fins out of water, that 
the boys had no difficulty in startling a few of them into a 
knowledge of their danger by gently placing a hand under 
and hoisting them suddenly into the boat, where they dis- 
played their alarm by leaping vigorously and beating the 
fragile bottom with their tails. 

“ Better hold hard, young gentlemen ! ” cried Shaddy, as 
soon as half a dozen were caught; “them fish won’t keep, 
and we can easily catch more. Ah ! Why, Mr. Joe, sir, I 
did think you knowed better.” 

This was to Joe, who had leaned over as far as he could 
to try and perform the same feat upon a long dark object 
floating half hidden by a leaf, but was met by a quick rush 
and a shower of water as the creature twisted itself round and 
dived down. 

“It was only a little one, Shaddy,” said Joe. 

“ Little dogs have sharp teeth, my lad ; and them small 
’gators can bite like fury. You take my advice, and don’t do 
it again.” 

“ Hah ! ” cried Brazier as he leaped ashore, “ this is glorious. 
We can make quite a collection here. See that the boat is 
fast, Naylor.” 

This was soon done, and the men were about to light a fire, 
but Brazier checked them, preferring to make a little expe- 
dition for exploration purposes all about their new camping 
place, partly to see if there were noxious beasts at hand, parti}' 
to try and secure a few natural history specimens, especially 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


149 

birds, which abounded, before the noise and the fire should 
drive them away. 

“ Hand out the guns and cartridge bags,” said Brazier ; and 
this being done the men were left in charge of the boat, and 
the little party started, keeping close up to the trees on their 
left with the intention of going all round the opening and so 
returning by the right side to the boat. 

The walking was hard, for the earth was tangled with dense 
growth so that they progressed very slowly, while the heat 
was intense ; but that passed unnoticed in the excitement 
caused by the novel objects which met their eyes at every 
step — flowers, such as Rob had never before seen, looking up 
as if asking to be plucked ; butterflies which flapped about 
so lazily that they could, he felt, easily be caught, only with- 
out net or appliances it seemed wanton destruction to capture 
and mutilate such gorgeously painted objects. There were 
others too, resembling the hawk-moths in shape, with thick 
body and long pointed wings, which were constantly being 
taken for humming-birds, so rapid was their darting flight. 
As for these latter, they flashed about them here, there, and 
everywhere, now glittering in the sunshine, now looking dull 
and plum-colored as they hovered on hazy wings before the 
long trumpet blossoms of some convolvulus-like flower whose 
twiny stems trailed over or wrapped the lower growth. 

Beetles, too, were abundant in every sun-scorched spot or 
on the bare trunks of the trees, though bare places were rare, 
for the trees were clothed densely with moss and orchid. 

Rob’s fingers itched as bird after bird flew up, and he 
longed to bring them down for specimens, whose brilliant 
colors he could gloat over. Now it was a huge scarlet-and- 
blue macaw, now one painted by Nature’s hand scarlet, yellow, 
and green, which flew off with its long tail feathers spread, 
uttering discordant shrieks, and startling the smaller parrots 
from the trees which they were stripping of their fruit. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


But Brazier had told him not to fire at the smaller birds, as 
it was a necessity to keep their larder supplied with substantial 
food, the four boatmen and Shaddy being pretty good trencher- 
men, and making the deer meat disappear even without the 
aid of trenchers. 

“We ought to find a deer here surely,” said Brazier, when 
they were about half-way round. 

“ Well, I don’t know, sir,” replied their guide ; “ deer ain’t 
like human beings, ready to go walking in the hot sunshine 
in the middle of the day. They like to lie up in the shade 
all through the sunny time, and feed in the morning and even- 
ing.” 

“ Then you think we shall not see a deer ? ” 

“ Can’t say, sir ; but if a turkey goes up I should make 
sure of him at once. So I should if we came upon a car- 
pincho, for this is a likely place for one of them.” 

“ But are they good eating ? ” 

“ Capital, sir. Now, look at that.” 

He faced round at a loud, fluttering sound and guns were 
raised, but the great bird which had taken flight was far out 
of shot, and winging his way higher and higher, so as to fly 
over the tops of the trees and away into the forest. 

“ Fine great turkey that, sir,” said Shaddy. 

“Yes : can we follow it ? ” 

Shaddy shook his head. 

“Far more sensible for us to walk straight away, sir, through 
the open where that turkey got up : we might start another 
or two.” 

“ But the going is so laborious,” pleaded Brazier ; “ some 
of us would be having sunstroke. No, let’s keep on, we may 
put up something yet.” 

“ And try for the turkeys toward sundown, sir ? ” 

“Yes. Come on,” said Brazier ; “ we had better get slowly 
back now to the boat. It is too hot.” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


He stood wiping the perspiration from his forehead as he 
spoke, and then, with Shaddy by his side carrying a spare 
gun, went on along by the edge of the forest, Rob and Joe 
following some distance behind. 

“ I might as well have shot some of those beautiful toucans,” 
said Rob ; “ I could have skinned them, and they would be 
delightful to bring out at home and show people, and remind 
one of this place in years to come.” 

“ Yes, we shouldn’t have scared away much game,” replied 
Joe. “What’s that they can see ?” 

For Shaddy was holding up his hand to stop them, and 
Brazier, who had forgotten all about being languid and weary 
in the hot sunshine, was hurrying forward bending down and 
making for one of several clumps of bushes about half-way 
between them and the river. 

Rob noted that clump particularly, for it was scarlet with 
the blossoms of a magnificent passion-flower, whose stems 
trailed all over it, tangling it into amass of flame color which 
looked hot into the sunshine which made the air quiver as if 
in motion. 

The lads stopped at Shaddy’s signal and looked intently, 
but they could see no sign of any game, and, rightly con- 
cluding that the object of Brazier’s movement must be hidden 
from them at the edge of the forest, they crouched down and 
waited for fully five minutes. 

“Here, I’m sick of this,” whispered Rob at last; and he 
rose from his uncomfortable position. 

“ So am I,” said Joe, straightening himself. “ Hullo ! 
Where’s old Shaddy ? ” 

“ Lying down and having a nap, I expect,” replied Rob. 

“ I can’t see him nor Mr. Brazier neither. Shall we go on.” 

“ No : let’s wait a bit. They may be seeing a chance for 
something good at supper time.” 

They waited another five minutes, ten minutes, and had at 


I S 2 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


last determined to go on, when Brazier’s piece was heard, 
the sharp report coming from about three hundred yards 
farther on toward the river. 

“ There’s Shaddy running,” cried Joe ; and they saw now 
where he had been crawling, far beyond the scarlet passion- 
flower, from whose shelter Mr. Brazier had evidently made a 
long stalk till he was close to the object of his search, a bird 
or animal, which had fallen, from the haste being made to 
reach the spot. 

“ Let’s make haste,” cried Joe, pushing forward. 

“ No, thank you ; I’m too tired,” said Rob. “ I wasn’t so 
fagged before, but after lying down there so long I’m as stiff 
as can be. Oh, bother ! something stung me. It’s one of 
those ants. Brush them off.” 

Joe performed the kindly duty, and they were on the way 
to join the others, when there was a rustling sound just in 
front, and the young Italian started back. 

“ A snake — a snake ! ” he panted, as he caught Rob’s arm. 
“ Shoot ! ” 

“Well, you shoot too,” said the latter rather sharply, for 
Joe seemed to have forgotten that he had a gun in his hand. 

But Rob could not boast, for as the dry grass and scrubby 
growth in front moved he raised his piece, and drew first one 
trigger, then the other : there was no result— he had forgot- 
ten to cock. 

Lowering the gun he rapidly performed this necessary 
operation, and was about to raise it again and wait, for in 
the hurry and excitement he had been about to obey his com- 
panion and deliver a chance shot almost at random amongst 
the moving grass — so great was the horror inspired by the 
very name of one of the reptiles which haunted the moist 
swamps near the riverside. 

But, to the surprise of both, it was no huge anaconda which 
had been worming its way toward them ; for at the sound of 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


*53 

the lock — click , click — a beautiful warm-gray creature bounded 
lithely out almost to where they stood, and there paused, 
watching them and waving its long black tail. 

“ A lion,” whispered Joe, who remained as if paralyzed by 
the sudden bound of the cat-like creature, which stood as 
high as a mastiff dog, but beautifully soft-looking and rounded 
in its form, its ears erect, eyes dilated, and motionless, all 
but that long writhing tail. 

In those few moments Rob’s powers of observation seemed 
as if they were abnormally sharpened, and as he noted the 
soft hairs toward the end of the tail erected and then laid 
down, and again erected, making it look thick and soft, he 
noted too that the muzzle was furnished with long cat-like 
whiskers, and the head was round, soft, and anything but 
cruel and fierce of aspect. 

“ Shoot — shoot ! ” whispered Joe : “ the ball — not the small 
shot.” 

But Rob did not stir ; he merely stood with the muzzle of 
the gun presented toward the beast, and did not raise it to 
his shoulder. Not that he was stupefied by the peril of his 
position, but held back by the non-menacing aspect of the 
puma. Had there been a display of its fangs or an attempt 
to crouch for a spring, the gun would have been at his 
shoulder in a moment, and, hit or miss, he would have drawn 
the trigger. 

“ Why don’t you shoot ? ” whispered Joe again. 

“ I can’t,” replied Rob. “ It must be a tame one.” 

“ Nonsense ! You’re mad. We’re right away in the wilds.” 

“ I don’t care where we are,” said Rob, who was growing 
cool and confident ; “ this must be a tame one. I shall go 
forward.” 

“No, no — don’t ! He’ll claw you down.” 

“ He’d better not. I’ve got my finger on the trigger. 
Here ! Hallo, old chap ! puss ! puss ! whose cat are you ? ” 


* 54 - 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ He’s mad,” whispered Joe as Rob advanced, and the 
puma stood firm watching him, till they were so close 
together that, in full confidence that they had put up a tame 
beast, the property of some settler or Indian, he laid his 
gun in the hollow of his left arm, and stretched out his right 
hand. 

The puma winced slightly, and its eyes grew more dilated ; 
but, as Rob stood still, the wild look passed slowly away, 
and it remained motionless. 

“ Don’t ! pray don’t ! ” cried Joe in a hoarse whisper ; “ it 
will seize your hand in its jaws.” 

“ Nonsense ! It’s as tame as an old tomcat,” said Rob 
coolly. “ Poor old puss, then ! ” he continued, reaching out 
a little farther, so that he could just softly touch the animal’s 
cheek, passing his fingers along toward its left ear. 

“ There, I told you so,” he said, with a laugh, for the puma 
pressed its head against his hand, giving it a rub in regular 
cat fashion, while as, to Joe’s horror, Rob continued his 
caress and began gently rubbing the animal’s head, it emitted 
a soft purring noise, rolled its head about, and ended by 
closing up and leaning against the lad’s leg, giving itself a 
rub from nose to tail, turning and repeating the performance, 
and again on the other side. 

“ I am glad I didn’t shoot,” said Rob, bending down to 
stroke the animal’s back. “ I say, isn’t he a beauty ! Come 
and make friends. He's a bit afraid of us yet.” 

Joe stood fast, with the loaded gun presented, ready to 
fire and save his friend’s life the moment the creature seized 
him, when, to his astonishment, the puma so thoroughly 
approved of the first human caress it had ever received that 
it lay down, rolled over, wriggling its back when all four 
legs were in the air, rolled back again, scratching the ground, 
and finally crouched and looked up as much as to say, “ Go 
on.” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


x 55 

Rob answered the appeal he read in the puma’s eyes, and 
going down on one knee, he patted and stroked it, when, 
quick as the movement of a serpent, it threw itself over on 
its back, seized the lad’s hand between its bent paws, patted 
it from one to the other, and then held it tightly as it brought 
down its mouth as if to bite, but only began to lick it with 
its rough tongue. 

“ There ! ” said Rob, “ what do you say now ? Isn’t it a 
tame one ? ” 

“ I — I don’t know yet. Hadn’t I better fire and kill it ? ” 

“ You’d better not,” cried Rob. “ That’ll do, old chap ; 
you’ll have the skin off. I say, his tongue is rough. Why, 
what beautiful fur he has got, and how soft and clean ! I 
wonder whose he is.” 

In the most domestic cat-like fashion the puma now curled 
itself round, with its forepaws doubled under, and kept up 
its soft purr as it watched the lad by its side. But as he 
rose the animal sprang up too, butted its head affectionately 
against his leg, and then looked up as if to say, — 

“ What next ? ” 

“ Why don’t you come and stroke it ? ” cried Rob. 

“ Because I’m sure it’s wild and fierce,” was the reply. 

“ Well, it isn’t now\” 

“ Ahoy ! ” came from a distance, and the puma looked 
sharply about, with ears erect and an intense look, as if it 
were listening. 

“ Ahoy ! ” shouted back Rob. “ Let’s go to them. Come 
along, puss.” 

He took a few steps forward, the puma staring at him and 
twisting its tail from side to side, but it did not stir. 

“ There, I told you so. It is wild.” 

“ Well, it may be, but it’s quite ready to make friends, 
and it will not hurt us. Come along.” 

Joe did not possess his companion’s faith, and keeping 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


1 S 6 

his face to the puma as much as he could, he advanced 
toward where they could see Brazier waving his hand to them 
to come on. 

As they advanced Rob kept on stopping and looking back 
at the puma, calling it loudly ; but the animal made no re- 
sponse. It stood there with its eyes dilating again, waving 
and twisting its tail, till they were thirty or forty yards dis- 
tant, when, with a sudden movement, it half turned away, 
crouched, its hind legs seemed to act like a spring, and it 
was shot forward into the low growth and disappeared. 

“ Gone ! ” said Joe, with a sigh of relief. 

“ Why, you’re actually afraid of a cat,” said Rob mock- 
ingly. . 

“ I am — of cats like that,” replied his companion. “ I’ve 
heard my father say that some of them are friendly. That 
must be a friendly one, but I’m sure they are not fit to be 
trusted. Let’s make haste.” 

Rob did not feel so disposed, and he looked back from 
time to time as they forced their way through the grass and 
low growth, but there was no puma visible, and finally, 
taking it for granted that the animal was gone, but making 
up his mind to try and find it again if they stayed, he stepped 
out more quickly to catch up to Joe, who was pressing on 
toward where he could now see both of their companions and 
a hundred yards beyond the boatmen coming to meet them. 

“ Hi ! What have you shot, Mr. Brazier ? ” cried Rob as 
he drew nearer. 

“ Deer ! Very fine one ! ” came back. 

“ Venison for dinner, then, and not ‘ only fish,’ ” said Rob 
as he changed shoulders with his gun. “ Shouldn’t care to 
be always tied down to fresh-water fish, Joe. They’re not 
like turbot and soles.” 

“ I say, don’t talk about eating,” said the young Italian 
testily. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


*57 


“ Why not ! ” 

“ Makes me so hungry.” 

“ Well, so much the better. Proves that you enjoy your 
meals. I ‘say, I wish that great cat had followed us.” 

“ What nonsense ! What could you have done with it ? ” 

“ Kept it as a pet. Taught it to catch birds for us, and 
to fetch those we shot like a dog. Oh, what a beauty ! ” 

This was on seeing the fine large fat deer which had fallen 
to Brazier’s gun. 

“ Yes,” said Brazier, with a satisfied smile ; “ it was a 
piece of good fortune, and it will relieve me of some anxiety 
about provisions.” 

“ But it will not keep,” said Rob. 

“ Yes ; cut in strips and dried in the sun, it will last as 
long as we want it. You see, we have no means of making 
up waste in our stores, Rob, and the more we get our guns 
to help us the longer our expedition can be.” 

The boatmen and the two lads reached the deer just about 
the same time, and the latter stood looking on with rather 
an air of disgust upon their countenances as the crew set to 
work and deftly removed the animal’s skin, which was carried 
off to the boat to be stretched over the awning to dry, while 
those left rapidly went to work cutting the flesh in strips and 
bearing it off to the boat. 

“ I say, Mr. Brazier,” said Rob after watching the pro- 
ceedings for some time, “ hadn’t those strips of flesh better 
be dried on shore somewhere ? ” 

“ Why ? ” 

“ Because they’ll smell dreadfully.” 

“ I hope not,” said Brazier, smiling. 

“ Not they, sir,” put in Shaddy. “ Sun soon coats ’em over 
and takes the juice out of them. They won’t trouble your 
nose, Master Rob, sir, trust me ; and as to drying ’em on 
shore, that would be a very good plan in everyway but one.” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


iss 

“ What do you mean ? ” 

“ Why, that it would be very convenient, sir, and the meat 
would dry nicely ; but when we wanted it you may take my 
word it wouldn’t be there.” 

“ Would some one steal it ? ” cried Rob. “ No ; you told 
me there were no Indians about.” 

“ So I did, sir ; but there are hundreds of other things 
would take it.” 

“ Hang it up in a tree, then.” 

“ Ready for the vultures to come and carry it off ? That 
wouldn’t do, sir. No ; there’s no way of doing it but hang- 
ing it up in your boat. The animals can’t get at it, nor the 
ants neither, and the birds are afraid to come.” 

“ I did not think of that,” said Rob apologetically. 

“ No, sir, s’pose not. I used to think as you did. I didn’t 
want to have anything that might smell on my boat, and I 
did 'as you advised till I found out that it would not do. 
Don’t take too much at a time,” he growled to the man who 
was loading himself, “ and mind and lay out all the pieces 
separate. Is the fire burning ? ” 

The man replied in his own tongue, and went off. 

“ I’ll get on now, sir,” said Shaddy, “ and see to the pieces 
frizzling for our dinner, if you’ll stop and see that the men 
don’t leave before they are done.” 

“ How am I to speak to them ? I don’t know their 
tongue.” 

“No need to speak, sir. If they see you’re watching 
them they won’t neglect anything, but do it properly. I was 
only afraid of their wanting to step off to the fireside to begin 
broiling bones.” 

Shaddy shouldered his gun, and went off after the man 
who was loaded with strips of flesh to make what is called 
beltong, and the two left worked on very diligently, with the 
boys wandering here and there in search of objects of interest 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


1 S9 

and finding plenty — brilliant metallic-cased beetles, strange 
flowers which they wanted named, and birds which it was a 
delight to watch as they busied themselves about the fruit 
and flowers of the trees at the forest edge. 

“ I shall be glad when they’ve done,” said Joe at last, as 
they were walking back to where Brazier stood leaning upon 
the muzzle of his gun. “ I am so hungry. Wonder whether 
these berries are good to eat ! ” 

He turned aside into the bushes to begin picking some 
bright yellow fruit, and scaring away a little parrot from the 
feast. 

“ I want something better than those,” said Rob contempt- 
uously ; and he went on, expecting that Joe was close behind. 

All at once, when he was about twenty yards away from 
where Brazier was standing, Rob saw him start, raise his gun, 
and cock it as he glared wildly at his young companion. 

“ Anything the matter, sir ? ” cried Rob, hastening his steps. 

“ Yes J” cried Brazier hoarsely. “ Stand aside, boy! Take 
care! Out of my line of fire ! You’re being stalked by a 
wild beast ! ” 

Rob stared, looked round, and saw at a glance that the 
puma had evidently been hiding among the dead grass and 
thick growth, but had been following and watching him ever 
since he had seen it leap into the bushes. Then the truth 
dawned upon him that of course Mr. Brazier could not know 
what had passed, and there he was with his gun raised to 
fire. 

“ Stand aside, boy ! ” was roared again ; and, obeying the 
stronger will, Rob sprang aside, but only to leap back. 

“ Don’t fire ! don’t fire ! ” he shrieked, but too late. The 
gun belched forth rapidly its two charges, and Rob fell and 
rolled over upon the earth. 


i6o 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


CHAPTER XIV. 

FRIGHTENED BY FALSE FIRES. 

“ Naylor — Giovanni — help ! help ! ” cried Brazier. “ What 
have I done ? ” 

As in a voice full of agony Brazier uttered these words, the 
dense smoke from the gun which had hidden Rob for the mo- 
ment slowly rose and showed the lad lying motionless upon 
the earth. Shaddy rushed up, dropped upon one knee and 
raised the boy’s head, while with his keen knife held across 
his mouth he looked sharply round for the South American 
lion, ready to meet its attack. 

But the animal was not visible, and it was directly after for- 
gotten in the excitement centred on Rob. 

“Tear off his clothes ! Where is he wounded ? No doc- 
tor ! Run to the boat for that little case of mine. Here, let 
me come.” 

These words were uttered by Brazier with frantic haste, 
and directly after he uttered a cry of horror and pointed to 
Rob’s forehead close up among the hair, where a little thread 
of blood began to ooze forth. 

“ That ain’t a shot wound,” growled Shaddy. “ Hi ! One 
of you get some water.” 

One of the boatmen, who had hurried up, ran back toward 
the stream, and just then Rob opened his lips and said peev- 
ishly. 

“ Don’t ! Leave off ! will you be quiet? Eh ! What’s the 
matter ? ” 


THE GRAND CHACO . 


161 


As he spoke he thrust Brazier’s hand from his head, opened 
his eyes and looked round. 

“ What are you doing ? ” he cried wonderingly. 

“ Lower him down, Naylor,” whispered Brazier hoarsely ; 
and Shaddy was in the act of obeying, but Rob started up 
into a sitting position, and then sprang to his feet. 

“ What are you doing, Shaddy ? ” he cried angrily, as he 
clapped his hand to his brow, withdrew it and looked at 
the stained fingers. “ What’s the matter with my head ? ” 



“ Shaddy raised the boy's head'' 

He threw it back as he spoke, shook it, and then, as if the 
mist which troubled his brain had floated away like the smoke 
from Brazier’s gun, he cried : 

“ I know ; I remember. Oh ! I say, Mr. Brazier, you 
haven’t shot that poor cat?” 

“ Rob, my boy, pray, pray, pray, lie down till we have ex- 
amined your injuries.” 

“ Nonsense ! I’m not hurt,” cried the lad — “ only knocked 
my head on a stump. I remember now : I caught my right 

ii 


162 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


foot in one of those canes, and pitched forward. Where’s 
the cat ? ” 

He looked round sharply. 

“Never mind the wretched beast,” cried Brazier. “Tell 
me, boy : you were not hit ? ” 

“ But I do mind,” cried Rob. “ I wouldn’t have had that 
poor thing shot on any account.” 

“ Are you hurt ? ” cried Brazier, almost angrily. 

“ Of course I am, sir. You can’t pitch head first on to a 
stump without hurting yourself. I say, did you hit the cat ? ” 

“ Then you were not shot ? ” cried Brazier. # 

“ Shot ? No ! Who said I was ? ” 

“ Ourai ! ” shouted the young Italian, with the best imita- 
tion he could give of an English hurrah. 

“ Then I have frightened myself almost to death for noth- 
ing,” cried Brazier. “ How dare you pretend that you were 
shot ! ” 

“ I didn’t,” cried Rob angrily, for his smarting head exacer- 
bated his temper. “ I never pretended anything. I couldn’t 
help tumbling. You shouldn’t have fired.” 

“ There, hold your tongue, Mr. Rob, sir. It’s all right, 
and instead of you and the guv’nor here getting up a row, it 
strikes me as you ought both to go down on your knees and 
be very thankful. A few inches more one way or t’other, and 
this here expedition would have been all over, and us going 
back as mizzable men as ever stepped.” 

The guide’s words were uttered in so solemn and forci- 
ble a way that Brazier took a step or two forward and caught 
his hand, pressing it firmly as he looked him full in the eyes. 

Brazier was silent for a few moments, and then, in a voice 
rendered husky by emotion, he said, 

“ You are quite right, Naylor. Thank you, my man, for 
the lesson. I deserve all you have said, and yet I am thank- 
ful at heart for the ” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


163 

He did not finish his words, but dropped Shaddy’s hand, 
and then turned to Rob and laid his hand upon the boy’s 
shoulder. 

“ Come to the boat, Rob,” he said. “ I’ll sponge and 
strap up that little cut. Naylor spoke truly. We have much 
to be thankful for. I ought not to have spoken so harshly 
to you.” 

“Nor I to have been so cross, sir. It was my head hurt 
me, and made me speak shortly.” 

“ Say no more now, boy. Come and let me play surgeon.” 

“ What, for this ? ” cried Rob, laughing. “ It’s only a 
scratch, sir, and doesn’t matter a bit.” 

But Brazier insisted, and soon after Rob’s forehead was 
ornamented with a strip of diachylon plaster, and the injury 
forgotten almost as soon. 

The men soon prepared a meal, and the rest of the day 
was spent in preparing the deer meat to keep in store ; the 
effect of the hot sun being wonderful, the heat drying up the 
juices and checking the decomposition that might have been 
expected to succeed its exposure, but it in no case improved 
the appearance of the boat. 

Toward evening Brazier did a little collecting, helped by 
the boys, and later on the latter fished from the boat, with 
no small success, so that there was no fear of the stores being 
placed too much under contribution for some days to come. 

The fishing was brought to a close, and their captives hung 
over the side in a great bag composed of net, so that they 
could be kept alive ready for use when required ; and this 
done, Rob turned to Giovanni. 

“ Come ashore, Joe,” he said. 

Brazier looked up sharply from where he was taking notes 
and numbering his dried specimens of plants. 

“ Where are you going ? ” he said. 

“ Only to have a bit of a wander ashore,” replied Rob. 


164 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ No, no f be content with your day’s work. We shall 
have some supper soon, and then turn in for a long night’s 
rest. Besides, I don’t care for you to go alone.” 

“Very well, sir,” said Rob quietly ; “ only we couldn’t go 
far and be lost. Shall we take Shaddy with us ? ” 

“ No ; I wish you to stay in the boat this evening, and I’m 
going to call the men on board as soon as they have well 
made up the fire. There are savage beasts about, and we 
don’t want more trouble than we can help.” 

Rob looked disappointed, but he said nothing, and went 
right forward to where Shaddy was busy washing out one of 
the guns ; and there the two lads sat, gazing across the green 
surface of lily leaves, watching the birds which ran to and 
fro, the gorgeous coloring of the sky, and the many tints 
reflected by the water where the stream ran winding through. 
Then, too, there were splashings andplungings of heavy fish, 
beasts, and reptiles to note, and very little to see, for by the 
time they had made out the spot where the splash had been 
made, there was nothing visible but the heaving of the great 
lily leaves and a curious motion of their edges, which were 
tilted up by the moving creatures stirring amidst the 
stems. 

“ Head hurt ? ” said Joe at last, after a long silence, broken 
only by the grunts of Shaddy as he rubbed and polished away 
at the gun barrel, so as to remove the last trace of damp. 

Hurt ? No. Only smarts a bit,” replied Rob. 

“ Why did you want to go ashore again ? ” 

There was no reply. 

“ I didn’t ; I was too tired. Don’t care for much walking 
in the hot sun. Did you want to shoot ? ” 

“ No. Wanted to see whether Mr. Brazier had shot that 
poor cat.” 

“ Poor cat! ” said Joe, derisively: “ I wonder whether a 
mouse calls his enemy a poor cat. Why, the brute could 


THE GRAND CHACO. .165 

have taken you and shaken you like a rat, and carried you 
off in its jaws.” 

“ Who says so ? ” retorted Rob, rather warmly. 

“ I do.” 

“ And how do you know you were right ? ” 

“Well, of course I can’t tell whether I’m right,” said Joe, 
“ only that’s what lions and tigers do.” 

“ Seemed as if it was going to, didn’t it ? ” said Rob, who 
was now growing warm in the defence of the animal. “ Why, 
it was as tame as tame, and I’m going ashore first thing to- 
morrow morning to track it out and find where it lay down 
to die. I want its skin, to keep in memory of the poor thing. 
It was as tame as a great dog.” 

“ Won’t be very tame ’morrow morning if you find it not 
dead,” growled Shaddy. 

“Then you don’t think it is dead, Shaddy ?” cried Rob 
eagerly. 

“ Can’t say nothing about it, my lad. All I know is that 
Mr. Brazier fired two barrels at it, and as the shots didn’t 
hit you they must have hit the lion.” 

“ Don’t follow,” said Rob, with a short laugh. “ Couldn’t 
they have hit the ground ? ” 

Shaddy rubbed his head with the barrel of the gun he was 
oiling, and that view of the question took a long time to 
decide, while the boys smiled at each other and watched 
him. 

“Well,” said Shaddy at last, “p’raps you’re right, Master 
Rob. If the shots didn’t hit the lion they might have hit 
the ground.” 

“And you did not find the animal, nor see any blood? ” 

“ Never looked for neither, my lad. But, tell you what, 
if you do want his skin I’ll go with you in the morning and 
track him down. I expect we shall find him lying dead, for 
Mr. Brazier’s a wonderful shot.” 


i66 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ And not likely to miss,” said Rob sadly. “ But I should 
like its skin, Shaddy.” 

“ And you shall have it, sir, if he’s dead. If he isn’t he 
has p’raps carried it miles away into the woods, and there’s 
no following him there.” 

Rob gazed wistfully across the opening now beginning to 
look gloomy, and his eyes rested on the figures of the boat- 
men who were busily piling up great pieces of dead wood to 
keep up the fire for the night, the principal objects being to 
scare away animals, and have a supply of hot embers in the 
morning ready for cooking purposes. And as the fire glowed 
and the shadows of evening came on, the figures of the men 
stood out as if made of bronze, till they had done and came 
down to the boat. 

An hour later the men were on board, the rope paid out so 
that they were a dozen yards from the shore, where a little 
grapnel had been dropped to hold the boat from drifting in, 
and once more Rob lay beneath the awning, watching the glow 
of the fire as it lit up the canvas, which was light and dark 
in patches as it was free from burden, or laden with the ob- 
jects spread upon it to dry. From the forest and lake came 
the chorus to which he was growing accustomed ; and as the 
lad looked out through the open end of the tent — an arrange- 
ment which seemed that night as if it did nothing but keep out 
the comparatively cool night air — he could see one great planet 
slowly rising and peering in. Then, all at once, there was 
dead silence. The nocturnal chorus, with all its weird 
shrieks and cries, ceased as if by magic, and the darkness 
was intense. 

That is, to Rob : for the simple reason that he had dropped 
asleep. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


167 


CHAPTER XV. 

FOE OR FRIEND? 

It was still dark when Rob awoke, and lay listening to the 
heavy breathing of the other occupants of the boat. Then, 
turning over, he settled himself down for another hour’s 
sleep. 

But the attempt was vain. He had had his night’s rest — all 
for which nature craved — and he now found that he might 
lie and twist and turn as long as he liked without any effort 
whatever. 

Under these circumstances he crept softly out and looked 
at the cool, dark water lying beneath the huge leaves, some 
of which kept on moving in a silent, secretive manner, as if 
the occupants of the lake were trying to see what manner 
of thing the boat was, which lay so silent and dark on the 
surface. 

It had been terribly hot and stuffy under the awning, and 
the water looked deliciously cool and tempting. There was 
a fascination about the great, black leaves floating there, 
which seemed to invite the lad to strip off the light flannels 
in 'which he had slept, to lower himself gently over the side, 
and lie in and on and amongst them, with the cool water 
bracing and invigorating him ready for the heat and toil of 
the coming day. 

It would be good, thought Rob. Just one plunge and a 
few strokes, and then out and a brisk rub. 

But there were the alligators and fish innumerable, nearly 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


1 68 

all of which had been provided by nature with the sharpest 
of teeth. 

He shuddered at the thought of how, as soon as his white 
body was seen in the water, scores of voracious creatures 
might make a rush for him and drag him down among the 
lily stems for a feast. 

“ Won’t do,” he muttered ; “ but what a pity it does 
seem ! ” 

He sat watching the surface, and, as he saw how calm and 
still it was, the longing for a bathe increased. It would, he 
felt, be so refreshing — so delicious after the hot night and 
the sensations of prickly heat. Surely he could get a quick 
plunge and back before anything could attack him ; and as 
he thought this the longing increased tenfold, and plenty of 
arguments arose in favor of the attempt. There were 
numbers of great fish and alligators, he knew, but they were 
not obliged to be there now. Fish swam in shoals, and might 
be half a mile away one hour though swarming at another. 

“ I’ve a good mind to,” he thought, and as that thought 
came he softly unfastened the collar of his flannel shirt. 

But he went no farther, for common-sense came to the 
front and pointed out the folly of such a proceeding, after 
the warnings he had had of the dangers of the river, teeming 
as it did with fierce occupants. 

“ It will not do, I suppose,” he muttered. “ I should like 
to try it, though.” 

He glanced around, but no one was stirring. The men 
' forward were silent beneath their blankets, and the occu- 
pants of the canvas cabin were all sleeping heavily, as their 
breathing told plainly enough, so there was no fear of inter- 
ruption. 

“ I’ll try it,” said the lad, in an eager whisper. 

“ No. There is no one to help me if I wanted any. And 
yet is there likely to be any danger ? Most likely the alliga- 


THE GRAND CHACO . 


169 


tors would swim away if they saw me, and would be more 
frightened of me than I should be of them. While as to the 

Bah J I'm a coward, and nothing else. Dare say the 

water’s as cool as can be, while I’m as hot as any one 
could get without being in a fever.” 

He rolled up the sleeve of his shirt above the elbow, and, 
leaning over the side, thrust it down between the curves of 
two lily leaves which overlapped. 

# “ It: is delightfully cool,” he said to himself, and he thrust 
his arm down farther, when his fingers came in contact with 
something rough, which started away, making the water 
swirl in a tremendous eddy, and caused the sudden abstrac- 
tion of the lad’s arm, but not so quickly that he did not feel 
a sharp pang, and a tiny fish dropped from the skin on to 
the bottom of the boat. 

“ The little wretch ! ” muttered Rob ; and the lesson was 
sufficient. He did not feel the slightest desire to tempt the 
cool water more, but applied his lips to the little bite, which 
was bleeding freely, thinking the while that if one of those 
savage little fish could produce such an effect, what would 
be the result of an attack by a thousand. 

Day was near at hand as Rob sat there, though it was 
still dark, and a cold mist hung over the water ; but the 
nocturnal creatures had gone to rest, and here and there 
came a chirrup or long-drawn whistle to tell that the birds 
were beginning to stir, instinctively knowing that before 
long the sun would be up, sending light and heat to chase 
away the mists of night. Now and then, too, there was a 
splash or a wallowing sound, as of some great creature 
moving in the shallows, close up beneath where the trees 
overhung the water, and the boy turned his head from place 
to place, half in awe, half in eagerness to know what had 
made the sound. 

But he could make out nothing that was more than twenty 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


170 

or thirty yards from where the boat swung to her moorings ; 
and, turning his head more round, he sat thinking of the 
adventures of the previous day, and wondered where the 
puma might be. 

“ It was a stupid thing to do to run right before that gun,” 
he said to himself ; “ but I hadn’t time to think that Mr. 
Brazier would fire, and I didn’t want the poor beast to be 
killed.” 

Rob sat thinking of how gentle and tame the great cat- 
like creature seemed, and a curious sensation of sorrow came 
over him as he thought of it crawling away into some shelter 
to die in agony from the effects of the deadly wounds in- 
flicted by Brazier’s gun. 

“ And if I had not tumbled down,” he said to himself, “ it 
would have been I instead ” ; and now he shuddered, for 
the full truth of his narrow escape dawned upon him. 

“It would have been horrid,” he thought; “I never felt 
before how near it was.” 

He leaned back and looked around at the misty darkness 
and then up at the sky, where all at once a tiny patch began 
to glow and rapidly became warmer, till it was of a vivid 
orange. 

“Morning,” said Rob half aloud, and feeling quite light- 
hearted at the prospect of daylight and breakfast, he sat up 
and looked round him at the positions, now dimly seen, of 
his companions, and was just thinking of rousing up the 
men to see to the fire, when the latter took his attention, and 
he turned to see if it was still glowing. 

For some minutes he could not make out the exact spot 
where it had been made. It was in a little natural clearing 
about twenty yards from the bank, but the early morning 
was still too dark for him to make out either bank or clear- 
ing, till all at once a faint puff of air swept over the lake, 
and as it passed the boat, going toward the forest, there was 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


171 

a faint glow, as of phosphorescence, trembling in one par- 
ticular spot, and he knew that it must be caused by the fan- 
ning of the embers. 

That faint light was only visible for a few moments, then 
all was dark again, but it was a transparent darkness, grad- 
ually growing clearer. Then a tree seemed to start up on 
the scene, and a clump of bushes nearer the fire. Soon 
after he could make out a great patch of feathery green, and 
this had hardly grown clear enough for him to be certain 
what it was, when something misty and undefined appeared 
to be moving along the bank close to the tree to which the 
boat was tethered. The next moment it melted away into 
the soft darkness. 

“ Fancy ! ” said Rob to himself. But the next moment he 
knew it was not fancy, for he could hear a peculiar scratch- 
ing, rending sound, which put him in mind of a cat tearing 
with its claws at the leg of a table. 

And now as if by magic there was a soft warm glow dif- 
fused around, and, to his surprise and delight, he saw the 
object he had before noticed again, but no longer undefined. 
It was gray, and looked transparent, but it was a warm gray, 
and grew moment by moment less transparent, gradually 
assuming the shape of his friend of the previous day, alive 
and to all appearances uninjured, as, with its soft, elastic, 
cat-like step and undulating body and tail, it walked slowly 
down to the edge of the bank, and stood staring at Rob as 
if waiting for him to speak. 

For a few moments the lad was silent and motionless, as he 
strove hard to detect signs of injury upon the soft coat of 
the puma, but nothing was visible, and the animal remained 
as motionless as he, save that the long tail writhed and curled 
about as a snake might if gently held by its head. 

The next minute Rob had decided what to do. 

Creeping silently astern, he unfastened and paid out a good 


172 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


deal of the line which held the boat to the grapnel. Then 
refastening it, he went silently forward, and began to haul 
upon the other line, which was secured to the tree ashore, 
thus bringing the boat’s head close up to the bank and within 
half a dozen yards of the puma, which stood watching him 
till the boat touched the bank, when, without hesitation or 
fear of consequences, Rob stepped ashore. 

“ Fine chance for him if he does mean to eat me ! ” thought 
Rob, with a laugh. But the next moment he did feel startled, 
for the animal suddenly crouched, gathered its hind legs 
beneath it, and he could see them working as the agile 
creature prepared to spring. 

Rob’s heart beat heavily, and a cry rose to his lips, but 
was not uttered, for he felt paralyzed, and he would have proved 
to be an unresisting victim had the puma’s intentions been 
inimical. But the lad knew the next moment that they were 
friendly, for the great bound the creature gave landed it at his 
feet, where it immediately rolled over on its side, then turned 
upon its back, and with touches soft as those of a kitten 
pulled at the boy’s legs and feet, looking playfully up at him 
the while. 

“ Why, you are a tame one,” said Rob, with a sigh of relief. 
“ There’s no danger in you whatever,” and sinking on one 
knee, he patted and rubbed the great soft head which was 
gently moved about in his hand. 

So satisfactory was this to the puma that it rolled itself 
about on the ground, pressed its head against Rob’s knee, 
and finally turned over once more, crouched, laid its head 
against him, and gazed up in his eyes as he placed his hand 
upon the soft browny-gray head. 

“ Well, there’s no mistake about this,” said Rob aloud ; 
“ you and I are good friends, and you must be a tame one. 
The thing is, where is your master ? ” 

Rob had hardly Uttered the word “ tame” before the puma’s 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


*73 

eyes dilated, and it uttered a low, deep growl, staring fiercely 
the while at the boat. 

Rob followed the direction of the animal’s eyes, and saw 
that it was watching Brazier, who had just stepped out from 
the canvas cabin, holding a gun in his hand. 

“ Don’t ! don’t do that ! ” cried Rob excitedly. “ It’s quite 
tame, Mr. Brazier. Look ! ” 

He was about to bend down and caress the puma again ; 
but as he turned it was only to see its soft, tawny skin and 
outstretched tail as it made one bound into the thick, low 
growth of bush and feathery grass, and it was gone. 

“Why, Rob,” cried his leader, “how could you be so fool- 
ish as to go near that savage beast ? ” 

“ But it isn’t savage,” said the lad eagerly ; “ it’s as tame 
as any cat. It must belong to some one near.” 

By this time Shaddy had heard the talking and risen, rather 
apologetic for sleeping so long, and as soon as he had called 
up his men and sent them ashore to see to the fire the case 
was laid before him. 

“ Nay, Master Rob,” he said, “there’s no one about here 
to tame lions. It’s a wild one sure enough. Dessay he 
never saw a man or boy before, and he’s a young one per- 
haps, and a bit kittenish. Wants to make friends.” 

“ Friends with a dangerous beast like that, man ? ” cried 
Brazier. “ Absurd ! ” 

“ Oh, they’re not dangerous, sir ; that is, not to man. I 
never heard of a lion touching a man unless the man had 
shot at and hurt him. Then they’ll fight savagely for their 
lives. Dangerous to monkeys, or dogs, or deer; but I’m not 
surprised at its taking to Master Rob here, and don’t see no 
call to fear.” 

“Well, of course your experience is greater than mine, 
Naylor,” said Brazier; “but I should have thought that at 
any moment the beast might turn and rend him.” 



“Rob followed the direction of the animal's eye." 



THE GRAND CHACO. 


*75 

u No, sir ; no, sir ; no fear of that ! I daresay the crittur 
would follow him anywhere and be as friendly as a cat. The 
Indians never take any notice of lions. It’s the tigers they’re 
a bit scared about. Lions hate tigers too ; and I’ve known 
’em fight till they were both dying.” 

“ Ah well, we need not discuss the matter, for the puma 
has gone.” 

“ Thought you were going to shoot at it again, sir,” said 
Rob in rather an ill-used tone, for he was disappointed at the 
sudden interruption to his friendly intercourse with the beau- 
tiful beast. 

By this time Giovanni was out of the boat, and stared rather 
at the account of the morning’s adventure; but the announce- 
ment soon after that the coffee was boiling changed the 
conversation, and for the time being the puma was for- 
gotten. 

The great natural clearing at the edge of the lake and the 
opening out of the river itself gave so much opportunity for 
Brazier to prosecute his collecting that he at once decided 
upon staying in the neighborhood certainly for that day, if 
not for one or two more, and in consequence the fire was left 
•smouldering, while the boat was forced along close in shore 
— no easy task, on account of the dense growth of lilies. 

The heat was great, but forgotten in the excitement of 
collecting, and with the help of his young companions, Brazier 
kept on making additions to his specimens, while Rob’s great 
regret was that they were not seeking birds and insects as 
well. 

“ Seems such a pity,” he confided to Joe. “ The orchids 
are very beautiful when they are hanging down from the trees, 
with their petals looking like the wings of insects and their 
color all of such lovely yellows and blues, but we shall only 
have the dried, bulb-like stems to take back with us, and how 
do we know that they will ever flower again ? ” 


176 


THE GRAND CHACO . 


“ If properly dried, great many of them will,” said Brazier 
at that moment. 

Rob started. 

“ I didn’t know you were listening, sir,” he said. 

“I was not listening, Rob, but you spoke so loudly, I 
could not help hearing your words. I can quite understand 
your preference for the brilliant-colored and metallic- 
plumaged birds, and also for the lovely insects which we keep 
seeing, but specimens of most of these have been taken to 
Europe again and again, while I have already discovered at 
least four orchids which I am sure are new.” 

“ But if they do not revive,” said Rob, “ we shall have had 
all our journey for nothing.” 

“ But they will revive, my boy, you may depend upon that 
— at least, some of them; and to my mind we shall have 
done a far greater thing in carrying to England specimens of 
these gorgeous flowers to live and be perpetuated in our 
hothouses, than in taking the dried mummies of birds and 
insects, which, however beautiful, can never by any possibility 
live again.” 

“ I didn’t think of that,” said Rob apologetically. 

“ I suppose not. But there, be content to help me in my 
collecting ; you are getting plenty of adventure, and to my 
mind, even if we take back nothing, we shall carry with us 
recollections of natural wonders that will remain imprinted 
on our brains till the end of our days.” 

“ He’s quite right,” thought Rob, as he sat alone some time 
after ; “ but I wish he wouldn’t speak to me as if he were de- 
livering a lecture. Of course I shall help him and work hard, 
but I do get tired of the flowers. They’re beautiful enough 
on the trees, but as soon as they are picked they begin to fade 
and wither away.” 

The conversation took place at the end of the lake, just 
where the river issued in a narrow stream, walled in on either 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


1 77 


side by the trees as before, and the intention was to cross 
this exit and go back by the other side, round to the wide 
clearing where they had passed the previous night. 

Plans in unknown waters are more easily made than 
carried out. 

They had halted for a short time at the foot of a majestic 
tree, one evidently of great age, and draped from where its 
lower boughs almost touched the water right to the crown 
with parasitic growth, much of which consisted of the partic- 
ular family of flowers Brazier had made his expedition to 
collect. 

Here several splendid specimens were cut from a huge 
drooping bough which has held down by the men while the 
collector operated with a handy little axe, bringing down as 
well insects innumerable, many of which were of a stinging 
nature, and, to the dismay of both boys, first one and then 
another brilliantly marked snake of some three feet long and 
exceedingly slender. 

These active little tree-climbers set to at once to find a 
hiding-place, and it at once became the task of all the band 
to prevent this unsatisfactory proceeding, no one present 
looking forward with satisfaction to the prospect of having 
snakes as fellow-travellers, especially poisonous ones. But 
they were soon hunted out and thrown by means of a stick 
right away into the water, but not to drown, for they took to 
it, swimming as actively and well as an eel. 

“ Why, that last fellow will reach one of those boughs and 
get back into a tree again,” cried Joe. 

“ If a fish does not treat him like a worm,” said Rob ; 
and he did not feel at all hopeful about the little reptile’s 
fate. 

But the next minute he had to think of his own. 

One minute the boat was being propelled gently through 
the still waters amongst the great lily leaves ; the next they 
. 12 


178 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


were in sight of the exit, and something appeared to give the 
boat a sudden jerk. 

“ Alligator ? ” asked Rob excitedly. 

“ Stream ! ” growled Shaddy, seizing an oar and rowing 
with all his might just as they were being swept rapidly 
down the lower river, the trees gliding by them and the men 
appearing to have no power whatever to check the boat’s 
way as it glided on faster and faster, leaving the open lake 
the next minute quite out of sight. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


179 


CHAPTER XVI. 

IN A TROPIC STORM. 

Rob and Joe looked at each other quite aghast as the 
boat was literally snatched away out of the boatmen’s con- 
trol and went tearing down the river. For, beside the alter- 
ation in their plans, there was the fire waiting, all glowing 
embers, that would cook to perfection ; there were wild fruits 
which the two lads had noted from the boat ; and there was the 
puma, whose society Rob had felt a strong desire to cultivate. 

Then, too, there was something startling in being suddenly 
robbed of all power to act and being swept at a headlong 
speed along a rapid, for aught they knew, toward some ter- 
rible waterfall, over which they would be hurled. So that it 
was with no little satisfaction that they saw Shaddy seize the 
boat-hook and, after urging the crew to do their best to pull 
the boat toward the trees, stand up in the bows and wait his 
turn. 

The crew worked hard, and kept the boat’s head up stream, 
and by degrees they contrived to get it closer to the side, 
while Shaddy made three attempts to catch hold of a branch. 
In each case the bough snapped off, but at the fourth try the 
bough bent and held, though so great was the shock that when 
the hook caught, the strong-armed man was nearly drawn over 
the bows into the river, and would have been but for one of 
the boatmen’s help. 

It was a sharp tussle for a few moments, and then two of 
the men caught hold of hanging branches as the boat swung 


i8o THE GRAND CHACO. 

within reach. The next minute a rope was passed round a 
branch, and the boat was safely moored. 

“ Mind looking to see whether I’ve got any arms, Mr. Rob ? ” 
said Shaddy. “ Feels as if they were both jerked out of 
their sockets.” 

“ Are you hurt much ? ” asked the boys in a breath. 

“ Pootty tidy, young gents ; but I ain’t going to holler about 
it. There’s no time. I don’t mind going fast, you know, 
either in a boat or on horseback, but I do hate for the boat 
or the horse to take the bit in its teeth and bolt as this did 
just now.” 

“ What do you propose doing, Naylor ? ” said Brazier. “ It 
is impossible to get back, and yet I should have liked a few 
hours more at that clearing.” 

“ And them you shall have, sir, somehow. I’m not the man 
to be beaten by a boat without making a bit of a fight for it 
first. Let’s get my breath and my arms — ah ! they’re coming 
back now. I can begin to feel ’em a bit.” 

He sat rubbing his biceps, laughing at the boys, Brazier 
looking up and down stream uneasily the while. 

“ Do you know exactly where this river runs, Naylor ?” he 
said at last. 

“ Well, not exactly, sir. I know it goes right through the 
sort of country you want to see, and that was enough for me ; 
but I’ve a notion that it goes up to the nor’-west, winding and 
twisting about till it runs in one spot pootty nigh to the big 
river we left, so that we can perhaps go up some side stream, 
drag the boat across a portage, and launch her for our back 
journey over the same ground or water as we came up.” 

“ But we shall never get back to the lake,” said Rob as he 
glanced at the running stream which glided rapidly by, making 
the boat drag at its tethering rope as if at any moment it 
would snatch itself free. 

“ Never’s a long time, Mr. Rob. We’ll see.” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


181 


He turned to his men, gave them a few instructions in a 
low tone of voice, and three seated themselves on the port 
side, while Shaddy and the fourth, a herculean fellow with 
muscles which stood out like huge ropes from his bronzed 
arms, stood in the bows, the latter with the boat-hook and 
Shaddy with the rope. 

“ P’r’aps you young gentlemen wouldn’t mind putting a 
hand to the branches when you get a chance,” said Shaddy; 
“ every pound of help gives us a pound of strength.” 

Then, renewing his orders, he seized the light rope, hauled 
upon it, the man beside him making good use of his hook, 
and between them they dragged the boat a few feet and made 
fast the rope, hauled again, cast off the rope, and made fast 
again — all helping wherever a bough could be caught. 

And so they slowly fought their way back against the gigantic 
strength of the rapid stream, but not without risks. Rob was 
hauling away at a bough with all his might, when it suddenly 
snapped, and he would have gone overboard had not Joe 
thrown himself upon him and held on just as he was toppling 
down without power to recover his balance. 

“ That was near,” said Rob as he gazed on the young 
Italian’s ghastly face. “ I say, don’t look scared like that.” 

Joe shuddered and resumed his work, while Rob put a little 
less energy into his next movements for a few minutes, but 
forgot his escape directly after, and worked away with the 
rest. 

It was toil which required constant effort, and they won 
their way upward very slowly. Twice over they lost ground 
by the giving way of the branch to which the rope had been 
attached, and once the boat-hook slipped from the Indian’s 
hand and floated down-stream past the boat, the heavy iron 
end causing it to keep nearly upright. For a few moments 
it disappeared, but came gently to the surface again just as 
it was passing the stern, when the boys gave a ringing cheer, 


182 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


for, leaning out as far as he could, Brazier secured it and 
passed it back to the man. 

Of minor troubles there were plenty. At one moment they 
would be covered with insects which were rudely shaken from 
the boughs ; at another some branch beneath which they were 
passing would threaten to sweep the canvas cabin out of the 
boat ; and once it was Joe, whose flannel was caught by a 
snaggy end and hung there with the boat passing from under 
him till a chorus of cries made the stalwart boatman cease 
his efforts and look back at the mischief he was causing as 
he hauled. 

But, in spite of all difficulties, the boat was slowly drawn 
over the ground lost in the wild race downward, till at last 
the lake was reached, and a few sturdy efforts sufficed to drag 
it once more into still water. 

“ Once is enough for a job like that, Master Rob,” said 
Shaddy, as he wiped his dripping brow with the back of his 
hand. 

“ It was hard work,” replied Rob. 

“ Ay, ’twas ; and if you wouldn’t mind saying you were so 
hungry you didn’t know what to do, it would be doing us all 
a kindness, and make Mr. Brazier think about meat instead 
of vegetables.” He gave his head a nod sidewise at Brazier’s 
back, for as the men rested under the shade of a tree the 
naturalist was busy hauling down some lovely clusters of 
blossoms from overhead. 

“You mean you want some dinner, Shaddy ? ” 

“ That’s it, sir. This here engine will soon stop working 
if you don’t put on more coal.” 

“ I’ll give him a hint,” said Rob, laughing ; and he did, the 
result being that Brazier gave the word for the men to row 
right across toward the clearing — a task they eagerly com- 
menced in spite of the heat and the sturdy effort required to 
force a way through the dense covering of broad green leaves. 


THE GRAND CIIACO. 


183 

They had the river to cross on their way, and as the clear 
stream was neared a long way above its exit from the lake 
the men, as if moved by one impulse, ceased rowing, and 
paused to take their breath before making a sturdy effort to 
cross it without losing ground. 

It was a necessary precaution, for the moment the bows of 
the boat issued from among the dense growth the stem was 
pressed heavily downward, and the opposite side of the stream 
was reached after quite a sharp fight. Then the long, steady 
pull was commenced again, and, with the leaves brushing 
against the side, they forced their way onward till the clear- 
ing came in view. 

The faint curl of bluish smoke encouraged the men to fresh 
efforts, all thinking of broiled deer meat and a fragrant cup 
of coffee, both of which afforded grateful refreshment soon 
after they touched the shore. 

“ Will it be safe to attempt to continue our journey down 
that part of the river ? ” Brazier asked as they were seated 
afterward in the shade. 

“ Oh yes, sir, safe enough,” replied Shaddy. 

“ But suppose we have to come back the same way ? ” 

“ Well, sir, we can do it, only it will take time.” 

“You will not mind, Mr. Brazier ?” said Joe, smiling. 

“Indeed I shall, for the work is terrible. Why did you 
say that?” 

“ Because you will have such a chance to collect, sir. I 
saw hundreds of beautiful blossoms which I thought you 
would like to get, and you could gather them while the men 
rested.” 

“ Ay, to be sure, sir. Don’t you mind about that river 
being swift ! Only wants managing, and for you to know 
what’s coming, so as to be prepared. Now I know what to 
expect, I can manage. I shall just set two of the fellows 
to pull gently, and go down starn first, and always sit there 


184 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


ready with the boat-hook to hitch on to a tree if we are going 
too fast. You trust me, sir, spite of all that’s gone before, 
and I’ll do my best for you and the young gents till your 
journey’s done, though I don’t see any coming back this way.” 

“ Of course I shall trust you,” said Brazier. “ What’s the 
matter ? ” 

“ Trust me now then, sir,” cried Shaddy, who had leaped 
up, and was looking sharply round. “ Get aboard, all of you. 
Now, boys ! ” he roared to his men, and he pointed to the 
sky. 

Shaddy’s orders were obeyed, and though there seemed to 
be no reason for the preparations made, the guide was so 
confident of the coming of a heavy storm that the waterproof 
sheet brought for such an emergency was quickly drawn over 
the canvas roof of their little cabin and made fast ; the boat 
was moored head and stern close up to the bank and beneath 
a huge, sheltering tree, the balers laid ready for use in the 
fore part and the stern ; and when this was all done, and the 
greatest care taken to keep powder and bedding dry, Brazier 
turned and looked at Shaddy. 

“ Well,” he said, “ is not this a false alarm ? ” 

“ No > sir 5 there’s a storm coming. We shall have it soon. 
Good job we’d got the cooking done.” 

“ But I can’t see a cloud,” said Rob. 

“ Don’t matter,” replied Joe, who was also looking keenly 
round. “ I’ve seen the heavy rain come streaming down 
when the sky has been quite clear, and the water has felt 
quite warm. Look at those fellows ; they know the storm’s 
coming, or they would not do that.” 

He pointed toward the boatmen, who were throwing a tar- 
paulin across the bows, ready for them to creep under as 
soon as the rain came. 

“ False alarm, boys! ” said Brazier. 

Shaddy overheard him, and wrinkled up his face in a curi- 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


i8 5 

ous grin as he looked hard at Rob. It was as much as to 
say, “ All right ! Just you wait a bit and see who’s right and 
who’s wrong.” 

“ My word, how hot ! ” cried Rob the next minute, for the 
sun appeared to be shining down through a kind of trans- 
parent haze, so dense that it acted like a burning glass. 

“ Yes, this is fierce,” said Joe, drawing back into the shade 
afforded by the great tree. 

“ It would give one sunstroke, wouldn’t it, if we stopped 
in the full blaze ? ” 

“ I suppose so. But I say, Shaddy’s right. We are going 
to have a storm.” 

“ How do you know ? ” 

“ By the sun gleaming out like that.” 

“ Oh, I don’t think that’s anything,” said Rob. “ Here, 
let’s get up into this tree and collect some orchids for Mr. 
Brazier.” 

He looked up into the large forest monarch as he spoke 
— a tree which on three sides was wonderfully laden with 
great drooping boughs. Consequent upon its position at 
the western corner of the clearing where the boat was moored, 
the boughs formed a magnificent shelter for their boat down 
almost to the water, while on the side of the opening they 
pretty well touched the ground. 

But Rob paid little heed to this, his attention being taken 
up by the fact that, though there was perfect silence, the tree 
was alive with birds and monkeys, which were huddled to- 
gether in groups, as if their instinct had taught them that a 
terrible convulsion of nature was at hand. As a rule they 
would have taken flight or scampered about through the 
branches as soon as human beings had come to the tree, but 
now, as if aware of some great danger, they were content to 
share the shelter and run all risks. 

ft See them, Master Rob ? ” said Shaddy, with a grin. “ Np 


i86 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


mistake this time ! Look out ; I daresay there’ll be snakes 
dropping down there by-and-by, but so long as you don’t 
touch ’em I don’t s’pose they’ll touch us. Shouldn’t wonder 
if we get something else.” 

Just then Brazier called him to draw his attention to some 
of the covering, and they heard him say, — 

“ Don’t see as we can do any more, sir. Things are sure 
to get wet ; you can’t stop it. All we can do is to keep ’em 
from getting wetter than we can help.” 

The sun still shone brilliantly, streaming down, as it were 
through the leaves of the great tree like a shower of silver 
rain, but the silence now was painful, and Rob strained his 
ears to catch the peculiar modulation of one of the cricket- 
like insects which were generally so common around. But not 
one made a sound, and at last, as if troubled by the silence, 
the boy cried half jeeringly, “ All this trouble for nothing ! 
I say, Joe, where’s the storm ? ” 

“ Here ! ” was the reply in a whisper as all at once out of 
the clear sky great drops of rain came pattering down, then 
great splashes ; and directly after, with a hissing rush, there 
were sheets of rushing water streaming through the branches 
and splashing upon the tarpaulin coverings of the boat. 

“ I say, I never saw it rain like this before,” cried Rob as 
he sheltered himself beneath the tarpaulin and canvas. “ Will 
it thunder ” 

He was going to say, “ too,” but the word remained un- 
spoken, and he shrank back appalled by a blinding flash of 
vivid blue lightning, which seemed to dash through beneath 
their shelter and make every face look of ghastly bluish- 
grey. 

Almost simultaneously there was a deafening peal of 
thunder, and, as if by an instantaneous change — probably 
by some icy current of air on high— the moisture-laden atmos- 
phere was darkened by dense mists whirling and looking 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


187 

like foam, clouds of slaty black shut out the sun, and the rain 
came down in a perfect deluge, streaming through the tree 
and pouring into the lake with one incessant roaring 
splash. 

One moment beneath the awning it was black as night, 
the next it was all one dazzling glare, while in peal after peal 
the mighty thunder came, one clap succeeding another before 
it had had time to die away in its long metallic reverberations, 
that sounded as if the thunder rolled away through some vast 
iron tunnel. 

No one attempted to speak, but all crowded together listen- 
ing awe-stricken to the deafening elemental war, one thought 
dominating others in their minds, and it was this : “ Sup- 

pose one of these terrible flashes of lightning strikes the 
tree ! ” 

Reason and experience said, “ Why shelter beneath a tree 
at a time like this ? ” but the instinct of self-preservation 
drove them there to escape the terrible battering of the rain 
and the rushing wind. 

For they had ample knowledge of the state of the lake, 
though, save in momentary glances, it was invisible beneath 
the black pall of cloud and rain, for waves came surging in, 
making the boat rise and fall, while from time to time quite 
a billow rushed beneath the drooping boughs, which partially 
broke its force ere it struck against the side of the boat with 
a heavy slap and sent its crest over the covering and into 
the unprotected parts. 

There was something confusing as well as appalling in 
the storm, which was gigantic as compared to anything Rob 
had seen at home, and as he crouched there listening in the 
brief intervals of the thunder-claps, the rain poured down 
on the tarpaulin roof with one continuous rush and roar as 
heavily as if the boat had been backed in beneath some 
waterfall. 


i88 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


All at once from out of the darkness a curious startling 
sound was heard, which puzzled both lads for some minutes, 
till they suddenly recollected that Shaddy had placed tin 
balers fore and aft, and any doubt as to their being the cause 
of the peculiar noise was set at rest by Shaddy, who sud- 
denly thrust in his head at the end of a deafening roar and 
shouted, — 

“ How are you getting on, gentlemen ? Water got in 
there yet ? ” 

“No, no,” was shouted back, “ not yet.” 

“ That’s right. We’re pumping it out here as quick as we 
can. Comes in fast enough to most sink us.” 

Shaddy then went working away out in the pelting rain, 
and a minute later they made out that his chief man was 
hard at work forward. 

And still the rain came down, and the lightning kept on 
flashing through the dark shelter; while, if there was any 
change at all in the thunder, it was louder, clearer, and more 
rapid in following the electric discharge. 

“ I say, Joe,” whispered Rob at last, with his lips close to 
his companion’s ear, “ how do you feel ? ” 

“ Don’t know, so curious— as if tiny pins and needles were 
running through me. What’s that curious singing noise ? ” 

“ That’s just what I want to know. I can feel it all through 
me, and my ears are as if I had caught a bad cold. Like 
bells singing you call it.” 

Just then Shaddy’s voice was heard in an interval between 
two peals of thunder shouting to his men in a tone of voice 
which indicated that something was wrong, and Brazier 
thrust out his head from the opening at one end of the awn- 
ing to ask what was the matter. 

“ Matter, sir ? Why, if we don’t get all hands at the 
pumps the ship’ll sink.” 

“ Is it so bad as that ? We’ll all come at once,” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


189 


iMay, nay. I’ve got a strong enough crew, only we must 
use buckets instead of balers.” 

“ But ” 

“ Go inside, sir, please, out of the wet, and see to your 
things being kept dry. I was ’zaggerating, being a bit ex- 
cited ; that’s all. I don’t want you, and I dare say the storm’s 
nearly over now.” 

The sound of dipping water and pouring it over the side 
went on merrily in the darkness and brilliant light alter- 
nately, for, in spite of the guide’s words, there seemed to be 
no sign of the storm abating, and while the men were busy 
outside Brazier and the two boys set to work piling the vari- 
ous objects they wished to keep dry upon the barrels which 
had been utilized for their stores, for the water had invaded 
the part of the boat covered in to a serious extent, and threat- 
ened more damage every moment. 

A few minutes later, though, the efforts of the men began 
to show, and Shaddy appeared again for one moment, his 
face being visible in the glare of light, but was hidden the 
next. 

“ Getting the water down fast now, sir,” he said. “ Hope 
you haven’t much mischief done.” 

“ A great many things soaked.” 

“ That don’t matter, sir, so long as your stores are right. 
Sun’ll dry everything in an hour or two.” 

“ But when is it coming, Shaddy ? ” 

“ ’Fore long, sir.” 

They did not see him go, but knew from the sound of his 
voice the next minute that he was in the forepart of the boat, 
ordering his men to take up some of the boards. 

Ten minutes later the rain ceased as suddenly as it had 
begun. There was a vivid flash of lightning, a long pause, 
and then a deep-toned roar, while all at once the interior of 
the little cabin became visible, and a little later the sun came 


190 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


out to shine brilliantly on what looked like a lake of thick 
mist. 

“ Will one of you young gents unfasten the stern rope ? ” 
cried Shaddy, “ and we’ll get out from under this dripping 
tree.” 

“ All right ! ” cried Rob, and he turned to throw open 
the stern end of the awning, while Brazier and Joe went in 
the other direction to where the men were still baling, but 
scraping the bottom hard at every scoop of the tins they were 
using. 

The stern end of the canvas was secured by a couple of 
straps, similar to those used in small tents, and these were 
so wet that it was not easy to get them out of the buckles, 
but with a little exertion this was done, and Rob parted 
the ends like the curtains of a bed, peered out at the drip- 
ping foliage, and shut them to again, startled by what he 
saw. 

After a few moments’ hesitation, he was roused to action 
by a shout from Shaddy. 

“ Can’t you get it undone, sir ? ” 

“Yes, I think so. Wait a moment,” cried Rob huskily, 
and opening the canvas curtain once more, he stepped out 
boldly and faced that which had startled him before, this 
being nothing less than the puma, which had either leaped - 
from the shore into the boat or crept out along one of the 
great horizontal boughs of the tree and then dropped lightly 
down to take its place right in the stern, where it was sitting 
up licking its drenched coat as contentedly as some huge 
cat. 

It looked so different in its soaked state that for the mo- 
ment Rob was disposed to think it another of the occupants 
of the forest, but his doubts were immediately set aside by 
the animal ceasing its occupation and giving its head a rub 
against him as, hardly knowing what to do, the boy unfas- 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


191 

tened the rope in obedience to his orders, set the boat free, 
and then wished he had not done so till the puma had been 
driven ashore. 

“ All right, sir ? ” shouted Shaddy, who was hidden, like 
the rest, by the intervening cabin-like structure. 

“ Yes,” cried Rob as the puma set up its ears and looked 
angrily in the direction from which the voice came, while the 
boat began to glide out through the dripping boughs, and 
the next minute was steaming in the hot sunshine. 

“ What shall I do ? ” thought Rob, who was now in an 
agony of perplexity, longing to call to his companions and 
yet in his confusion dreading to utter a word, for the fear 
was upon him that the moment the puma caught sight of 
Brazier it would fly at him. And again he mentally asked 
the question, “ What shall I do ? ” 

Meanwhile the puma had continued contentedly enough 
to lick its coat, sitting up on the narrow thwart at the end 
once more exactly like a cat, and in such a position that Rob 
felt how easy it would be to give the creature a sharp thrust 
and send it overboard, when it would be sure to swim ashore 
and relieve him of his perplexity. 

While he was hesitating, the word “ Oh ! ” was uttered 
close behind him, and looking sharply round, there was the 
wondering face of Joe thrust out between the canvas hang- 
ings, which he held tightly round his neck, being evidently 
too much startled to speak or move. 

“ It came on board, Joe, during the storm,” whispered 
Rob ; “ whatever shall we do ? ” 

The lad made no answer for a few moments, and then in a 
hurried whisper — 

“ Call Mr. Brazier to shoot it.” 

This roused Rob. 

“ What for ? ” he said angrily ; “ the poor thing’s as tame 
as can be. Look ! ” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


192 

He took a step toward the great cat-like creature, and it 
ceased licking itself and bent toward him as if to be car- 
essed. 

At that moment Joe popped back his head, and Brazier’s 
voice was heard : — 

“ They want the grapnel lowered, Rob, my lad. Can you 
Why, whatever is this ? ” 

The aspect of the puma changed in an instant. Its ears 
went down nearly flat upon its head, and it started upon 
all fours, tossing its tail about and uttering a menacing 
growl. 

Brazier started back, and Rob knew what for. 

“No, no, Mr. Brazier,” he cried; “don’t do that. The 
poor thing came on board during the storm. It’s quite tame. 
Look here, sir, look.” 

As he spoke in quite a fit of desperation, he began pat- 
ting and soothing the animal, and when Brazier peered out 
again, in company with a loaded gun, the puma was respond- 
ing to Rob’s caresses in the most friendly way. 

“ Anything the matter, sir ? ” said Shaddy from beyond 
the cabin. “ Can’t you get the grapnel overboard ? ” 

“ Come and look here,” whispered Brazier ; and their guide 
crept into the cabin and peered out behind, his face pucker- 
ing up into a grin. 

“ What is to be done ? ” whispered Brazier ; “ I can’t fire 
without hitting the boy.” 

“ Then I wouldn’t fire, sir,” replied Shaddy. “ ’ Sides, 
there ain’t no need. The thing’s quite a cub, I think, and 
tame enough. I don’t suppose it’ll show fight if we let it 
alone.” 

“ Stop, man ! What are you going to do ? ” 

“ Go to ’em,” replied Shaddy coolly. 

“ But it will spring at you. It turned threateningly on me 
just now.” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


*93 

Don t seem to on Master Rob, sir, and I don’t think it 
will. What do you say to going first, Mr. Jovanni ? ” 

No, said the lad shortly. “ I don’t like animals.” 

“ Well, then, here goes,” said Shaddy coolly. “Don’t 
shoot, sir, unless the crittur turns very savage, and then not 
till I say, * Now ! ’ ” 

He thrust the two canvas curtains apart quietly and 
stepped into the little open space astern, when once more 
the puma’s aspect changed and it turned upon the new-comer 
menacingly. 

“ Pat him again, Master Rob,” said Shaddy quietly. “ I 
want to make friends too. Here, old chap,” he continued, 
sitting down, as Rob hurriedly patted and stroked the ani- 
mal’s head, “ let’s have a look at you. Come, may I pat you 
too ? ” 

He stretched out his hand, but the puma drew back sus- 
piciously, and, with the others watching the scene, he remained 
quiet while Rob redoubled his caresses, and the puma 
began to utter its low, rumbling, purring sound. 

“ Only wants time, Mr. Brazier, sir,” said Shaddy quietly. 
“I don’t think the brute’s a bit savage. Only thinks we 
mean mischief and is ready to fight for himself. I could be 
friends with him in an hour or two. What’s best to be done 
— get him ashore ? ” 

“ Yes, as soon as possible.” 

“ All right, sir, then ; you go and tell the men to back the 
boat in to where we landed before.” 

The canvas hangings dropped to, and Shaddy sat perfectly 
still, watching the actions of their strange visitor and talking 
in a low voice to Rob, while a low, creaking sound began as 
two of the men forward thrust out their oars and began to 
back water. 

Slight as the sound was, that and the motion of the boat 
startled the animal, which began to look about uneasily, but 

13 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


194 

a touch or two from Rob calmed it directly, and after re- 
sponding to his caresses it turned to look curiously at Shaddy, 
taking a step forward and then stopping. 

“ Well, what do you think of me, puss, eh ? ” said Shaddy 
quietly. “ I say, Mr. Rob, you and I had better keep him 
and set up as lion-tamers.” 

The rough voice evidently startled the animal, which 
Ceased its purring sound and backed away close to Rob, 
against whom it stood, and began watching the bank toward 
which the boat was being thrust. 

“ How are we to get it ashore ? ” said Rob at last. 

“ You want it to go then ? ” 

“ No,” replied Rob, “ I don’t. It is so very tame, I should 
like to keep it, but it does not care for anybody else.” 

“ Don’t mind me seemingly,” said Shaddy. “ Well, the best 
thing will be for you to jump ashore as soon as we’re close 
in, and then it strikes me he’ll come after you, and if you 
kept on petting him he’d follow you anywhere.” 

r “ You think so, Shaddy? ” 

“ Feel sure of it, sir, but it ain’t like a dog. You can’t 
make a companion of a scratching thing like that.” 

“ Why not ? A dog’s a biting thing,” said Rob shortly. 

“ Well, yes, sir ; but here we are. Better get him ashore. 
There ain’t room for him aboard here. There might be a 
row, for he ain’t ready to make friends with everybody.” 

Rob stepped on to the gunwale rather unwillingly, for in a 
misty way, he was beginning to wonder whether it was pos- 
sible for him to retain the puma as a companion, though all 
the time he could see the difficulties in the way. 

He leaped ashore, and, as Shaddy had suggested, the 
puma immediately made a light effortless bound and landed 
beside him, pressing close up to the lad’s side and rubbing 
one ear against his hand, while the occupants of the boat 
looked wonderingly on. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


*95 

“ What am I to do next ? ” asked Rob. “ If I jump back 
on board, he’ll come too.” 

“ Safe,” said Shaddy ; “ and there’s no more room for 
passengers. Here, stop a moment ; I have it.” 

“ Wha t are you going to do ? ” said Brazier, who was watch- 
ing the movements of the puma with anxiety on Rob’s behalf, 
but with keen interest all the same, as he saw the active 
creature suddenly throw itself down by the boy’s feet and, 
playful as a kitten, begin to pat at first one boot and then 
the other, ending by rubbing its head upon them, watching 
their owner all the time. 

“I’m going to get Mr. Rob aboard without that great cat, 
sir, and this seems the best way.” 

He drew his knife, raised the tarpaulin, and cut off a good- 
sized piece of the deer meat ; then bidding the men to take 
their oars and be ready to row at the first command, he 
turned to Rob. 

“ Look here, sir,” he said, “ I’ll pitch you the piece of dried 
meat. You catch it and then carry it a few yards, and let the 
lion smell it. Give it him behind one of those bushes, and as 
soon as he is busy eating it dodge round the bush and come 
aboard. We’ll soon have the boat too far for him to 
jump.” 

He threw the piece of dry meat to the boy, who caught 
it and walked as directed, the puma following him eagerly 
and sniffing at the food. 

The next minute those in the boat saw Rob disappear be- 
hind a clump of low growth, and directly after he reappeared 
running toward them just as, uneasy at his being out of sight 
with the fierce creature, Brazier had called upon Giovanni to 
bring his gun and accompany him ashore. 

But Rob’s reappearance of course stopped this, and the 
next minute he was on board and being rowed away from 
the shore. 


196 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ It seems too bad/’ cried Rob, “just as if one was cheat- 
ing the poor thing. Look, there it is.” 

For just then the puma stalked out from behind the bushes 
and stood tossing its tail and looking round as if in search 
of Rob, ending by walking quickly down to the edge of the 
lake and standing there gazing after the boat, which was 
being rowed slowly down now once more toward the scene 
of their adventure with the swift current, Brazier having 
decided to stay one more day at the lower part of the lake 
before descending the river farther ; and the object now in 
view was the discovery of a fresh halting-place for the night. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


*97 


CHAPTER XVII. 

AN INTERNATIONAL QUARREL. 

“ What’s the matter, Rob ? ” said Brazier as he turned 
suddenly from where he had been laying various articles of 
clothing out in the warm sunshine to dry and found the two 
lads seated together in silence, Rob with his elbows on the 
side of the boat and his chin in his hands, gazing back 
ashore. 

“ I can’t get a word out of him, sir,” said Joe. “ I think 
it’s because the lion was left behind.” 

“ Nonsense ! Rob is not so childish as to fret after a toy 
he cannot have. Come, my lad, there is plenty to do. We 
must make use of the evening sun to get everything possible 
dry. Come and help. Wet clothes and wet sleeping-places 
may mean fever.” 

Rob looked reproachfully at Joe, and began to hurry him- 
self directly, his movement bringing him in contact with 
Shaddy, who was dividing his time between keeping a sharp 
look-out along the shore for a good halting-place suitable for 
making a fire, giving instructions to his men, and using a 
sponge with which to sop up every trace of moisture he 
could find within the boat. 

“ There, Mr. Rob, sir,” he said as he gave the sponge a 
final squeeze over the side, “ I think that’ll about do. It’s 
an ill wind that blows nobody any good. That storm has 
done one thing — given the boat a good wash-out — and if we 
make a big fire to-night and dry everything that got wet, we 


i 9 8 the GRAND CHACO. 

shall be all the better for it. Don’t see storms like that in 
England, eh ? ” 

“ No,” said Rob shortly, and he took down and began 
rubbing the moisture from his gun. 

“ Ah, that’s right, my lad ; always come down sharp on 
the rust, and stop it from going any further. Why, hullo ! 
not going to be ill, are you ? ” 

Rob shook his head. 

“ You look as dumps as dumps, Mr. Rob, sir. I know 
you’re put out about that great cat being left behind.” 

Rob was silent. 

“ That’s it. Why, never mind that, my lad. You can get 
plenty of things to tame and pet, if you want ’em, though I 
say as we eight folks is quite enough in one boat without 
turning it into a wild beast show.” 

Rob went on rubbing the barrel of his gun. 

“ What do you say to a nice young pet snake, sir ? ” said 
Shaddy, with his eyes twinkling, till Rob darted an angry 
glance at him, when he changed his tone and manner. 

“Tell you what, sir, I’ll get one of my boys to climb a 
tree first time I see an old one with some good holes in. 
He shall get you a nice young parrot to bring up. You’ll 
like them ; they’re full of tricks, and as tame as can be. 
Why, one of them would live on the top of the cabin, and 
climb about in a way as would amoose you for hours.” 

Rob darted another angry look at him. 

“ And do you think I want a parrot to amuse me for 
hours ? ” he said bitterly. 

“ Have a monkey,” said Joe, who had heard the last 
words. “ Shaddy will get you a young one, and you can pet 
that and teach it to play tricks without any risk to anybody, 
if you must have a plaything.” 

He accompanied this with so taunting a look that it fired 
Rob’s temper, just at a time when he was bitterly disap- 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


i 99 


pointed at the result of his adventure. Joe’s words, too, 
conveyed the boy’s feeling, which was something akin to 
jealousy of the new object which took so much of the young 
Englishman’s thoughts. 

Stung then by his companion’s words and look, Rob 
turned upon him and said sarcastically, — 

“Thank you : one monkey’s enough on board at a time.” 

The young Italian’s eyes flashed, as, quick as lightning, 
he took the allusion to mean himself, and he turned sharply 
away without a word, and went right aft, to sit gazing back 
over the water. 

“ Well, you’ve been and done it now, Mr. Rob, and no 
mistake,” whispered Shaddy. “You’ve made Master Jovan- 
ni’s pot boil over on to the fire, and it ain’t water, but oil.” 

“ Oh, I am sorry, Shaddy,” said Rob in a low tone, for 
all his own anger had evaporated the moment he saw the 
effect of his words on the hot-blooded young Southern. 

“ Sorry, lad ? I should think you are. Why, if I said such 
a thing as that to an Italian man, I should think the best 
thing I could do would be to go and live in old England 
again, where there would be plenty of policemen to take 
care of me.” 

“ But I was not serious.” 

“ Ay, but you were, my lad, and that’s the worst of it. 
You said it in a passion on purpose to sting him, and he’s as 
thin-skinned as a silkworm. He has gone yonder thinking 
you despise him and consider he’s no better than a monkey, 
and if you’d set to for six hundred years trying to think out 
the nastiest thing you could invent to hurt his feelings you 
couldn’t have hit on a worse.” 

“ But it was a mere nothing — the thought of the moment, 
Shaddy,” whispered Rob. 

“ O’ course it was, dear lad, but, you see, that thought of a 
moment, as you call it, has put his back up. For long enough 


200 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


now English folk have said nasty things to Italians, compar- 
ing ’em to monkeys, because of some of ’em going over to 
England playing organs and showing a monkey at the end of 
a string. You see, they’re so proud and easily affronted that 
such a word feels like a wasp’s sting and worries ’em for 
days.” 

“ I’ll go and beg his pardon. I am sorry.” 

“ Won’t be no good now, sir. Better wait till he has cooled 
down.” 

“ I wish I hadn’t said it, Shaddy.” 

“ Ay, that’s what lots of us feels, sir, sometimes in our 
lives. I hit a man on the nose aboard a river schooner once, 
and knocked him through the gangway afterwards into the 
water, and as soon as I’d done it I wished I hadn’t, but that 
didn’t make him dry.” 

“ I wish he had turned round sharply and hit me,” said 
Rob. 

“ Ah, it’s a pity he didn’t, isn’t it ? ” said Shaddy drily. 
“ You wouldn’t have hit him again, of course. You’re just 
the sort o’ young chap to let a lad hit you, and put your fists 
in your pockets to keep ’em quiet, and say, ‘ Thanky,’ ain’t 
you ? ” 

“ What do you mean — that I should have hit him 
again ? ” 

Why, of course I do, and the next moment you two would 
have been punching and wrestling and knocking one another 
all over the boat, till Mr. Brazier had got hold of one and I’d 
got hold of the other, and bumped you both down and sat 
upon you. I don’t know much, but I do know what boys is 
when they’ve got their monkeys up.” 

“ Don’t talk about monkeys,” whispered Rob hotly ; “ I 
wish there wasn’t a monkey on the face of the earth.” 

“ Wish again, Mr. Rob, sir, as hard as ever you can, and 
it won’t do a bit o’ good.” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


201 


“Don’t talk nonsense, Shaddy,” said Rob angrily. 

That s right, sir ; pitch into me now. Call me some- 
thing ; it’ll do you good. Call me a rhinoceros, if you like. 
It won’t hurt me. I’ve got a skin just as thick as one of them 
lovely animals. Go it.” 

“ I do wish you would talk sense,” cried Rob, in a low, 
earnest whisper. “ You know I’ve no one to go and talk to 
about anything when I want advice.” 

“ No, I don’t,” said Shaddy gruffly. “ There’s Muster 
Brazier.” 

“Just as if he would want to be bothered when his head’s 
full of his specimens and he’s thinking about nothing else 
but classifying and numbering and labelling ! He’d laugh, 
and call it a silly trifle, and tell us to shake hands.” 

“ Good advice, too, my lad, but not now. Wait a bit.” 

“I can’t wait, knowing I’ve upset poor old Joe like that. 

I want to be friends at once.” 

“ That’s good talk, my lad, only it won’t work at present.” 

“ Ah, now you’re talking sensibly and like a friend,” said 
Rob. “ But why will it not do now ? ” 

“ ’Cause Mr. Jovanni ain’t English. He’s nursing that all 
up, and it isn’t his natur’ to shake hands yet. Give the fire 
time to burn out, and then try him, my lad ; he’ll be a differ- 
ent sort then to deal with.” 

Rob was silent for a few minutes. 

“ That’s good advice, Mr. Rob, sir, and so I tell you ; 
but I must stop talking. It’ll soon be sundown, and then, 
you know, it’s dark directly, and ’fore then we must be 
landed and the lads making a good fire. I wish Mr. Brazier 
would come and give more orders about our halting-place 
to-night.” 

“ He’s too busy with his plants, Shaddy ; and I ought to 
be helping him.” 

“ They why don’t you go, my lad ? ” 


202 


THE GRAND CHACO . 


“ How can I, with Joe sitting there looking as if I had 
offended him for life ? I’ll go and shake hands at once.” 

“ No, you won’t, lad.” 

“ But I will.” 

“ He won’t let you.” 

“ Won’t he ?” said Rob firmly. “I’m in the wrong, and 
I’ll tell him so frankly, and ask him to forgive me.” 

“ And then he won’t ; and, what’s worse, he’ll think you’re 
afraid of him, because it is his natur’ to.” 

“ We’ll see,” said Rob ; and going round outside the 
canvas awning by holding on to the iron stretchers and 
ropes, he reached the spot where Joe sat staring fixedly 
astern, perfectly conscious of Rob’s presence, but frowning 
and determined upon a feud. 

Rob glanced back, and could see Brazier through the 
opening in the canvas busily examining his specimens, so 
as to see if any had grown damp through the rain. Then, 
feeling that, if he whispered, their conversation would not 
be heard, Rob began. 

“Joe!” 

There was no reply. 

“Joe, old chap, I’m so sorry.” 

Still the young Italian gazed over the lake. 

“ I say, Joe, it’s like being alone almost, you and I out 
there. We can’t afford to quarrel. Shake hands, old 
fellow.” 

Joe frowned more deeply. 

“ Oh, come, you shall,” whispered Rob. “ I say, here, 
give me your hand like a man. I was put out about losing 
the puma, because I was sure I could tame it ; and it would 
have made such a jolly pet to go travelling with. It could 
have lived on the shore and only been on board when we 
were going down the river. It put me out, and I said that 
stupid thing about the monkey.” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


203 


Joe started round with his eyes flashing. 

“ Do you want me to strike you a blow ? ” he hissed 
angrily. 

“No; I want you to put your fist in mine and to say 
we’re good friends again. I apologize. I’m very sorry.” 

“ Keep your apologies. You are a mean coward to call 
me a name like that. If we were ashore instead of on a 
boat, I should strike you.” 

“ No, you wouldn’t,” said Rob sturdily. 

“ What ! you think I am afraid ? ” 

“ No ; but you would be a coward if you did, because I 
tell you that I should not hit you again.” 

“ Because you dare not,” said the young Italian, with a 
sneer. 

Rob flushed up angrily, and his words belied his feelings, 
which prompted him, to use his own words, to punch the 
Italian’s head, for he said, — 

“ Perhaps I am afraid, but never mind if I am. You and 
I are not going to quarrel about such a trifle as all this.” 

“ A trifle ? To insult me as you did ? ” 

“ Don’t be so touchy, Joe,” cried Rob. “ Come, shake 
hands.” 

But the lad folded his arms across his breast, and at that 
moment there was the sharp report of Brazier’s gun and a 
heavy splashing in the water among the lily leaves close up to 
the drooping trees which hid the cause of the turmoil. 

There was a little excitement among the men as the boat 
was rowed close in under the trees, and there, half in the 
water, lay one of the curious animals known as a water-pig, 
or carpincho. 

A rope was immediately made fast to tow the dead animal 
to the halting-place for cutting up for the evening meal, but 
before they had rowed far Shaddy shouted to the men to 
stop. 


204 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ That won’t do,” he cried. 

“ What’s the matter, Shaddy ? ” 

“ Matter ? ” growled the guide ; “ why, can’t you see, sir ? 
There won’t be a bit left by the time we’ve gone a mile. 
Look at ’em tugging away at it. Well, I never shall have 
any sense in my head. To think of me not knowing any 
better than that ! ” 

He unfastened the rope hanging astern, and hauled the 
dead animal along the side to the bows of the boat, with fish 
large and small dashing at it and tugging away by hundreds, 
making the water boil, as it were, with their rapid move- 
ment. 

“Tchah ! I’m growing stoopid, I think,” growled Shaddy 
as he hauled the water-pig in over the bows, the fish 
hanging on and leaping up at it till it was out of reach ; and 
then their journey was continued till a suitable halting-place 
was reached, where by a roaring fire objects that required 
drying were spread out, while the meat was cooked and the 
coffee made, so that by the time they lay down to rest in the 
boat there was not much cause for fear of fever. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


205 


CHAPTER XVIII. 

JOE IS LOST. 

The next morning the sun was drinking up the mists at a 
wonderful rate when Rob opened his eyes, saw Joe close by 
him fast asleep, and raised his hand to give him a friendly 
slap, but he checked himself. 

“We’re not friends yet,” he said to himself, with a 
curious, regretful feeling troubling him ; and as he went 
forward to get one of the men to fill him a bucket of water 
for his morning bath, for the first time since leaving England 
he felt dismal and low-spirited. 

“ Morning, sir ! ” said Shaddy. “ Mr. Joe not wakened 
yet ? ” 

“ No.” 

“ Did you two make friends ’fore you went to sleep ? ” 

“ No, Shaddy.” 

“ Then I lay tuppence it wasn’t your fault. What a pity it 
was you let your tongue say that about the monkey ! ” 

“ Yes, Shaddy,” said Rob as he plunged his head into 
the pail and had a good cool sluice. “ I wish I hadn’t now. 
It was a great pity.” 

“True, sir, it was. You see, there ain’t no room in a 
boat for quarrelling, and if it came to a fight you’d both go 
overboard together and be eaten by the fish afore you knew 
where you were. And that would not be pleasant, would it ? ” 

“ Don’t talk nonsense, Shaddy,” said Rob shortly as he 
plunged his head into the bucket again. 


206 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“Certainly not, sir,” replied the man seriously. “You 
see, I know how it would be as well as can be. ’1 alian lads 
don’t fight like English lads. They can't hit out straight and 
honest, but clings and cuddles and wrastles. Soon as ever 
you began he’d fly at you, and tie his arms and legs about 
you in knots, and hamper you so that you couldn’t keep your 
balance, and as there’s no room in the boat, you’d be ketch- 
ing your toe somewhere, and over you’d go. If I were you, 
Mr. Rob, Sir, I wouldn’t fight him.” 

“Will you leave off talking all that stupid nonsense, 
Shaddy ? ” cried Rob angrily as he began now polishing his 
head and face with the towel. “Who is going to fight? I 
suppose you think it’s very clever to keep on with this 
banter, but I can see through you plainly enough.” 

Shaddy chuckled. 

“ All right, sir ; I won’t say no more. Give him time, and 
don’t notice him, and then I daresay he’ll soon come 
round.” 

“ I shall go on just as if nothing had happened,” said Rob 
quietly. “ I apologized and said I was sorry, and when his 
annoyance has passed off he’ll be, friends again. What a 
glorious morning after the storm ! ” 

“ Glorious ain’t nothing to it, sir. Everything’s washed 
clean, and the air shines with it. Even looks as if the sun 
had got his face washed, too. See how he flashes.” 

“ I can feel, Shaddy,” said Rob, with a laugh. 

“ That’s nothing to what’s coming, my lad. Strikes me, 
too, that we shall find a little more water in the stream, if 
Mr. Brazier says we’re to go down the river to-day. Hear 
the birds ? ” 

“ Hear them ? ” cried Rob. “ Why, they are ten times as 
lively to-day.” 

“ That they are, sir. They’re having a regular feast on 
the things washed out of their holes by the rain. As for the 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


207 

flowers, Mr. Brazier will have no end of beauties to pick. 
They’ll come out like magic after this rain. He won’t want 
to go on to-day.” 

“\es, I shall, Naylor,” said Brazier, stepping out from 
under the awning. “ We may as well go on, beautiful as all 
this is. Ah,” he continued as he gazed round and took a 
long, deep breath, “ what gloriously elastic air ! What a 
paradise ! Rob, my lad, there can be nothing fairer on earth.” 

“ Don’t you be in a hurry, sir ! ” growled Shaddy. “ I’m 
going to show you places as beat this hollow.” 

11 Impossible, my man ! ” said Brazier. 

“ Well, sir, you wait and see. Bit o’ breakfast before we 
start ? ” 

“Yes,” said Brazier, and the men just then stirred the fire 
together, and called from the shore that the water was boiling 
and the cakes in the embers baked. 

The sensation of delicious comparative coolness after the 
storm as they sat under the trees, and the fragrance borne 
from myriads of flowering plants was so delightful to the 
senses that Rob looked with dismay at the idea of leaving 
the place for the present. The thirsty ground had drunk up 
the rain, and only a little moisture remained where the sun 
could not penetrate, while the sky was of a vivid blue, 
without a speck of cloud to be seen. 

But, though Brazier did not notice it, there was a jarring 
element in the concord of that glorious morning, for the 
young Italian was heavy and gloomy, and hardly spoke 
during the al fresco meal. 

“ What’s that ? ” said Rob suddenly as there was a slight 
rustling among the boughs and undergrowth a short distance 
away. 

“ Might be anything, sir,” said Shaddy. “ Some little 
animal — monkey, p’r’aps. It won’t hurt us. Maybe it’s a 
snake.” 


20 8 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


In spite of an effort to seem unconcerned, Rob could not 
resist the desire to glance at his comrade at the mention of 
the monkey, and, as he fully expected, even though he could 
not check it, there was Joe glaring at him fiercely. 

Rob dropped his eyes, feeling that Joe fully believed he 
was doing it to annoy him, and that Shaddy had the same 
intention. 

Meanwhile the sound had ceased, and was forgotten by 
the time they were all on board once more, the rope which 
had moored them to a tree being cast off. 

“ Now, my lads, away with you ! ” growled Shaddy, and 
the oars dropped among the lily leaves with a splash, start- 
ling quite a shoal of fish on one side and a large reptile on 
the other, which raised quite a wave as it dashed off with a 
few powerful strokes of its tail for deeper water. 

They were about fifty yards from the shore, when Shaddy 
suddenly laid his hand upon Rob’s shoulder and pointed 
back to the place they had just left. 

“ See that, my lad ? ” 

“ No. What ? ” cried Rob hastily. “ Bird ? lizard ? ” 

“Nay; look again.” 

Rob swept the shore eagerly, and the next moment his 
eyes lit upon something tawny standing in a shady spot, half 
hidden by the leaves. 

“ The puma ! ” he cried excitedly, and as the words left 
his lips the animal made one bound into the undergrowth 
near the trees, and was gone. 

“ Or another one, Rob,” said Brazier. “ It is hardly likely 
to be the same. There are plenty about, I suppose, Naylor ? ” 

“Oh yes, sir. Can’t say as they swarm, but they’re 
pootty plentiful, and as much like each other as peas in a 
pod.” 

“ But I feel sure that is the same one,” cried Rob excited- 
ly. “ It is following us down the. lake.” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


209 

“ Maybe,” grumbled Shaddy, “ but you couldn’t tell at this 
distance.” 

Rob was going to speak again, but he caught sight of 
Joe’s face, with a peculiar smile thereon, and he held his 
peace. 

An hour later they were drawing close to the mouth of the 
river, where it quitted the lake, and Shaddy pointed to the 
shores on either side. 

“ Look at that,” he said in a low tone. “ I ’spected as 
much.” 

“ Look at what ? ” said Rob. 

“ The trees. Water’s two foot up the trunks, and the river 
over its banks, lad. We shall go down pootty fast if I don’t 
look out.” 

But he did look out, to use his own words, and getting the 
boat round, he set the four men to back stern foremost into 
the stream, keeping a long oar over the side to steer by and 
giving orders to the men to pull gently or hard as he gave 
instructions, for the river ran like a mill-race. It was swift 
enough before, but now, thanks to the tremendous amount of 
water poured into it through the previous night’s storm, its 
speed seemed to be doubled. 

Rob stood close by the steersman, while Joe was beside 
Mr. Brazier, who, after the first minute or two of startled in- 
terest in their rapid descent, became absorbed in the beauty of 
the overhanging plants, and had no eyes for anything else. 

“ We’re going along at a pootty tidy rate, Master Rob,” 
said Shaddy. 

“ Yes ; the trees glide by very quickly.” 

“ Ay, they do, sir,” said the man, who did not take his 
eyes from the surface of the river before them. “ I did 
mean to make the boys pull so that we could go down gently, 
but it wouldn’t be much good, and only toil ’em for nothing.” 

“ There’s no danger, I suppose, Shaddy ? ” 

14 


210 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ No, sir, no, not much, unless we run on a sharp snag or 
trunk of a tree, or get swept into a corner and capsized,” 

“ What ? ” cried Rob. 

“ Capsized, sir. That would make an end of our expedi- 
tion. Now, lads,” he shouted to the men, “ pull your best.” 

He gave his own oar a peculiar twist as the men obeyed, 
and Rob caught sight of the danger ahead for the first time. 
It was a huge tree which had been undermined by the water 
during the past few hours and fallen right out into the stream, 
its top being over a hundred feet from the shore and showing 
quite a dense tangle of branches level with the water, to have 
entered which must have meant wreck. 

But Shaddy was too much on the qui vive, and his timely 
order and careful steering enabled him to float the craft gently 
by the outermost boughs. 

They were going onward again at increased speed, when 
Brazier shouted, — 

“ Stop ! I must have some of those plants.” 

Shaddy did not stir. 

“ Do you hear, man ? Stop ! \ want to collect some of 

those epiphytic plants.” 

By this time they were nearly a hundred yards past, and 
Shaddy looked at the enthusiastic collector with a comical 
expression on his face. 

“ Always glad to obey orders, sir,” he said drily ; “ but 
how can I stop the boat now ? Look at the water.” 

“ But you should have caught hold of one of the boughs, 
man.” 

“ When we were fifty yards away, sir ? ” 

“Then pull back to the tree.” 

Shaddy smiled again. 

“ It ain’t to be done, sir, no, not if I’d eight oars going in- 
stead of four. There’s no making head against the river 
now it’s running like this.” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


211 


“Then we’ve made a mistake in coming to-day,” cried 
Brazier anxiously. 

Well, no, sir, because before night we shall have made a 
big run right into the country you want to see, without tiring 
my lads, and I want to save them up. But there’s no stop- 
ping to-day for collecting.” 

“ But shall we be able to land somewhere ? ” 

“ Hope so, sir. If we can’t we shall have to go on. But 
you leave it to me, sir, and I’ll do my best. Don't talk to 
me now, because I’ve got to steer and look out against an 
upset, and, as you know, bathing ain’t pleasant in these 
waters.” 

Brazier looked uneasy, and went and sat down in the stern, 
to become absorbed soon after in the beauty of the scene as 
they raced down the silvery flashing river, while Joe, who was 
near him, appeared to be looking at the birds and wondrous 
butterflies which flapped across from shore to shore, but really 
seeing nothing but one of a company of monkeys, which, after 
the fashion of their kind, were trying to keep pace with the 
boat by bounding and swinging themselves from tree to tree 
along the shore. 

That seemed to the young Italian’s disordered imagination, 
blurred, as it were, by rankling anger, like the monkey to 
which his companion had compared him, and his annoyance 
grew hotter, not only against Rob, but against himself for 
refusing to shake hands and once more be friends. 

Meanwhile Rob stayed in the fore part of the boat talking 
to Shaddy, who stood on one of the thwarts, so as to get a 
better view of the river ahead over the cabin roof, and 
kept on making an observation to the boy from time to 
time. 

“ Easy travelling this, my lad, only a bit too fast.” 

“ Oh, I don’t know ; it’s very delightful,” said Rob. 

“ Glad you like it, my lad ; but I wish Mr. Jovanni wouldn’t 


212 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


sit on the starn like that. He ought to know better. Least 
touch, and over he’d go.” 

“Look: what’s that, Shaddy?” cried .Rob, pointing to a 
black-looking animal standing knee-deep in water staring at 
them as they passed. 

Shaddy screwed his eyes round for a moment, but did not 
turn his head. 

“ Don’t you get taking my ’tention off my work ! ” he 
growled. “ That’s a — that’s a — well, I shall forget my own 
name directly ! — a what-you-may-call-it, name like a candle.” 

“ Tapir,” cried Rob. 

“ That’s him, my lad. Any one would think you had been 
born on ’Merican rivers. Rum pig-like crittur, with a snout 
like a little elephant’s trunk, to ketch hold of grass and 
branches and nick ’em into his mouth. I say ” 

“ Well, what, Shaddy ? ” said Rob. The man had stopped 
to bear hard upon his oar. 

“ Pull, my lads,” he growled to his men. “ Hold tight, 
every one. I didn’t see it soon enough. Tree trunk ! ” 

Rob seized one of the supports of the cabin roofing and 
gazed over it, to see what seemed like a piece of bark just 
before them, and the next mo’ment there was a smart shock, 
a tremendous swirl in the water, and a shower of spray 
poured over them like drops of silver in the bright sunshine, 
as something black, which Rob took for a denuded branch, 
waved in the air, and Joe plumped down into the bottom of 
the boat. 

Shaddy chuckled and wiped the water out of one eye. 

“ I’m thinking so much about trees washed from the bank 
that I can’t see anything else.” 

“ But it was only a small tree, Shaddy, and did us no harm.” 

“Warn’t a tree at all, lad, only a ’gator fast asleep on the 
cop of the water going west and warming his back in the sun 
same time.” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


213 


“ An alligator ? ” 

“ Yes, my lad. Didn’t you see what a flap he gave with 
his tail! But now just look there at Mr. Jovanni. I call it 
rank obstinate. Just as if there was no other place where 
he could sit but right on the starn ! There, you’re friends, 
and he’ll take it better from you. Go through the cabin and 
ask him to get off. I don’t want him to go overboard.” 

“ Neither do I, Shaddy, but we are not friends, and if I 
ask him he will stop there all the more.” 

“ Then I must,” said Shaddy. “ Hi, Mr. Jovanni, sir ! 
Don’t sit there ; it ain’t safe.” 

“ Oh yes, I’m quite safe,” cried the boy sharply. “ Never 
mind me.” 

“ Hark at him ! Don’t mind him ! What’ll his father say 
to me if I go back without him ? Pull, lads, pull ! ” 

Shaddy’s order was necessary, for a huge tree — unmistak- 
ably a tree this time — lay right across their way just where 
the river made a sudden bend round to their left. 

The better way would have been to have gone to the right, 
where there was more room, but, the curve of the river being 
of course on that side greater, there would not have been 
time to get round before the boat was swept in amongst 
the branches, so perforce their steersman made for the 
left. 

This took them close in to where the bank should have 
been, but which was now submerged, and the boat floated 
close in to the great wall of trees marking the edge of the 
stream, and so little room was there that, to avoid the floating 
tree-top, the boat was forced close in shore, where the stream 
at the bend ran furiously. 

“ Look out ! ” roared Shaddy. “ Heads down ! ” and Rob, 
who had been watching the obstacle in their way, only just 
had time to duck down as, with a tremendous rushing and 
crackling sound, they passed right through a mass of pendent 


214 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


boughs which threatened to sweep the boat clear of cabin 
and crew as well, as the stream urged it on. 

The trouble only lasted a few seconds, though, and then 
they were through and floating swiftly round the inner curve 
toward an open patch of the shore which rose all clear of 
water and tree. 

“ Anybody hurt ? ” cried Brazier from inside the cabin ; 
“ I thought the place was going to be swept away after I 
had dived in here.” 

“ No, sir ; we’re all right,” cried Rob. “ I nearly lost my 
cap, though, and Oh ! where’s Joe ? ” 

“ Eh ? ” cried Shaddy, looking forward. “ Why, he was 

Gone ! ” 

All faced round to look back just in time to catch an 
indistinct glimpse of their companion apparently clinging to 
a bough overhanging the stream ; but the next moment the 
intervening branches hid him from their sight, and a look of 
horror filled every face. 

“ Did— did you see him, Shaddy ? ” panted Rob. 

“ Thought I did, sir, but couldn’t be sure,” growled Shaddy, 
and then furiously to his men, “ Row — row with all your 
might ! ” 

The men obeyed, making their oars bend as they tugged 
away with such effect that they advanced a few yards. But 
that was all. The current was too sharp, and they lost ground 
again, and, in spite of all their efforts, the most they could 
do was to hold their own for a minute before having to give 
way and pull in shore and seize the overhanging boughs to 
which Shaddy and Brazier now clung to keep the boat from 
drifting away. 

“ Better land, sir,” cried Shaddy. “ We can’t reach him 
this way.” 

“ Reach him ? ” cried Rob piteously, and then to himself, 
Oh ! Joe, Joe, why didn’t you shake hands ? ” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


215 


CHAPTER XIX. 

A FRESH PERIL. 

Shaddy’s advice was easier to give than to execute. For 
though by holding on to the boughs they were able to anchor 
the boat, it proved to be a difficult task to force her in 
among the submerged stems to the spot where the clear 
space of elevated ground offered a satisfactory landing- 
place. 

Thanks to the skill of the boatmen, however, a landing 
was at last achieved, and as soon as Brazier leaped ashore 
he was followed by Rob and Shaddy, the latter giving his 
men a few sharp orders before joining the others, who were 
trying to force their way back along the bank toward where 
they had last seen their companion. 

This was difficult, but possible for a short distance, and 
they pressed on hopefully, for, consequent upon the sudden 
bend of the river there forming a loop, they had only to cross 
this sharp bend an foot, not a quarter of the distance it 
would have been to row round. 

But before they had gone fifty yards the high-and-dry 
land ended, and Rob, who was, thanks to his activity, first, 
was about to wade in and continue his way among the sub- 
merged roots. 

But Shaddy roared at him, — 

“ No, no, my lad ; don’t make matters worse ! You 
mustn’t do that. The things have moved out of the river in 
here to be away from the rush and to get food. We don’t 
want you pulled under.” 


2l6 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ But we must go on, Naylor,” cried Brazier in agony. 

“ It ain’t the way to help him, getting ourselves killed, sir,” 
retorted Shaddy. “ Let’s get more in. Water don’t go 
far.” 

He was quite right, for after about ten minutes’ struggle 
along the edge they found themselves as nearly as they 
could guess about opposite to the spot where their unfor- 
tunate companion had been swept out of the boat, but about 
a hundred yards inland and separated from the regular bed 
of the stream by a dense growth of trees, whose boughs in- 
terlaced and stopped all vision in every direction, more 
especially toward the river. 

“ You see, we must wade,” cried Rob ; and he stepped 
into the water with a plash, but Shaddy’s strong hand 
gripped him by the shoulder and drew him back. 

“ I tell you it’s madness, boy. If he’s alive still you 
couldn’t reach him that way.” 

“ If he’s alive ! ” groaned Rob. 

“ If he’s alive,” said Shaddy, repeating his words. “ Steady 
a moment ! He may be up in one of the boughs, for he’s 
as active as a monkey in rigging and trees.” 

Then, putting his hands to his mouth, he shouted in sten- 
torian tones — 

“ Ahoy ! ahoy ! ” 

But there was no response, and Rob and Brazier exchanged 
glances, their faces full of despair. 

“ Ahoy ! ” shouted Shaddy once more. 

Still no reply, and a cold chill ran through Rob and his 
eyes grew dim as he thought of the bright, handsome, dark- 
eyed lad who had been his companion so long, and with 
whom he had been such friends till the miserable little 
misunderstanding had thrust them apart. 

“ It must be farther on,” said Brazier at last, when shout 
after shout had been sent up without avail. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


217 


“ Think so, sir ? ” said Shaddy gloomily. “ I thought it 
was about here, but p’r’aps you’re right. Come on. River 
made a big twist there, and it’s hard to tell distance shut up 
half in the dark among the trees. I did hope,” he con- 
tinued, as he forced his way in among the trees and held 
boughs aside for them to follow, “ that the poor lad had 
swung himself up and would have made his way like a 
squirrel from branch to branch till he reached dry land, 
but it don’t seem to be so. There, sir, we must be ’bout 
opposite where we saw him. Can’t be no farther. Ahoy ! 
ahoy ! ahoy ! ” 

They all listened intently after this, but there was no sound 
of human voice, only the shrieking of parrots and chattering 
of monkeys. 

Shaddy shouted again, with the result that he startled a 
flock of birds which were about to settle, but rose again 
noisily. 

They all shouted together then, but there was no response, 
and feeling that their efforts were useless, they went on a 
short distance and tried once more without result. 

“ He’d have answered if he had been anywhere near, sir,” 
said Shaddy gloomily. “ I’ll go on if you like but, take my 
word for it, he ain’t here.” 

Rob looked at both despairingly, but he was obliged to 
take the guide’s words for those of truth, and, feeling utterly 
crushed, he slowly followed the others as they began to re- 
turn, feeling the while that if it had not been for the edge of 
the water by which they walked it would have been impossible 
to find their way back through the dense wilderness of 
crowded together trees. 

Their guide returned by their outward steps as accurately 
as he could, but it was not always possible, for in coming 
out the bushes had been forced on in the same direction 
and then sprung back together, after the fashion of the 


2l8 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


withes in a fish-trap, and presenting their points, thorns, 
and broken stems in a perfect cheval de frise. 

In these cases Shaddy had to select a different path, the 
exigencies of the way forcing him more inland, and at last, 
in spite of his experience, he stopped short, looked about 
him and then upwards, seeking to make out the sky, but it 
was completely shut off, and they stood in a twilight gloom. 

“ What’s the matter, Shaddy ? ” said Rob at last, after 
looking at the man’s actions wonderingly ; but there was no 
reply. 

“ For goodness’ sake, man, don’t say that you have lost 
your way,” cried Brazier excitedly. 

Shaddy still remained silent, and took off his hat to 
scratch his head. 

“ Do you hear me, man ? Have you lost your way ? ” 

“ Don’t see as there’s any way to lose,” growled Shaddy 
“ I ain’t seen no path. But I have gone a bit wrong.” 

“ Here, let me ” began Brazier, but Shaddy interrupted 

him. 

“ Steady, sir, please ! Don’t wherrit me. I shall hit it 
off directly. You two gents stand just as you are, and don’t 
move. Don’t even turn round, or else you’ll throw me 
wrong worse than I am. You see, the place is all alike, and 
nothing to guide you. One can’t tell which way to turn.” 

“But tell me,” said Brazier, “what are you going to 
do ? ” 

“ There’s only one thing to do, sir : find the river, and I’m 
going to make casts for it. You both stand fast and answer 
my whistles ; then I shall know where you are and can come 
back and start again. If we don’t act sensible we shall lose 
ourselves altogether and never get out of it.” 

“ And then ? ” said Brazier. 

“ Oh, never mind about then , sir. I’ve lost my way a bit, 
and I’m going to find it somehow, only giye me time ” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


219 

“ Which way do you think the river lies ? ” said Rob 
gloomily. 

“ I’m going to try out yonder, sir. You see, we’ve turned 
and doubled so that I can’t tell where we are.” 

“ But it’s out that way, I’m sure,” said Rob, pointing in the 
opposite direction. 

“ Why are you sure, sir ? ” 

Rob shook his head. 

“ Ah, to be sure, dear lad ! ” said the guide ; “ you only 
think it’s out that way, and I daresay Mr. Brazier here thinks 
it’s out another way.” 

“Well, I must confess,” said Brazier, “that I thought the 
river lay behind us.” 

“ Yes, sir, that’s it. I’ve been lost before with half a dozen, 
sir, and every one thought different. One wanted to go one 
way; one wanted to go another. Fact is, gentlemen, we 
neither of us know the way. It’s all guess work. Once lost, 
there’s nothing to guide you. I can’t recollect this tree or 
that tree, because they’re all so much alike, and it’s as puz- 
zling as being in the dark. There’s only one way out of it, 
and that is to do as I say : you stand fast, and I’ll cast about 
like a dog does after losing the scent till I find the right track. 
On|y mind this ; if I don’t have you to guide me back with 
wh|stle and shout I shall be lost more and more.” 

‘^You are right, Naylor,” said Brazier; “we leave our- 
selves in your hands. Go on.” 

“jCheer up, Mr. Rob, sir ; don’t be down-hearted. I shall 
find the way out of it yet.” 

“ I was not thinking about myself, Shaddy,” said Rob in 
a choking voice. “ I was thinking about poor Joe.” 

“ Ah ! ” said Shaddy in a suppressed voice. Then sharply, 
“ I shall whistle at first, and one of you keep answering. 
By-and-bye I shall shout like this.” 


220 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


He uttered a peculiarly shrill cry, and they all started, for 
it was answered from a distance. 

“ Why, that’s Joe,” cried Rob joyfully. “ Ahoy ! ahoy ! ” 
he cried, and paused to listen. 

“ Nay, sir, that wasn’t Mr. Jovanni, but one of the wild 
beasts. Sounded to me like one of them little lions. Stop 
a bit, though ; let’s try a shout or two to see if the boys in 
the boat can hear us now.” 

He hailed half a dozen times at intervals, but there was no 
reply. 

“ Thought not,” he said. “ Only waste of breath. We’ve 
wandered away farther than I thought, and the trees shuts 
in sound. Stand fast, gentlemen, till I come back.” 

He paused for a few moments, and then forced his way in 
amongst the trees in a direction which Rob felt to be entirely 
wrong, but in his despondent state he was too low in spirit 
to make any opposition, and after marking the spot where 
Shaddy had disappeared, he turned round suddenly, placed 
his arm across a huge tree trunk, rested his brow against it, 
and hid the workings of his face. 

“ Come, come, Rob, be a man ! ” cried Brazier, laying his 
hand upon the lad’s shoulder. “ Never despair, my boy, 
never despair ! ” 

“ Joe ! Joe ! ” groaned Rob ; “ it is so horrible I ” 

“ Not yet. We don’t know that he is lost.” 

“ He must be, sir, he must be, or he would have answered 
our hails.” 

At that moment there was a shout from out of the forest, 
and Rob started round as if thinking it might be their young 
companion, but the cry was not repeated; a shrill whistle 
came instead. 

Brazier answered it with a whistle attached to his 
knife. 

“ It was only Shaddy,” groaned Rob. “ Mr. Brazier, you 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


221 


don’t know,” he continued. “ We two had quarrelled, and 
had not made friends, and now, poor fellow, he is gone.” 

“ No, I will not believe it yet,” cried Brazier; “for aught 
we know, he may have escaped. He is too clever and quick 
a lad not to make a desperate effort to escape. We shall run 
up against him yet, so cheer up. Ahoy ! ” he cried in answer 
to a hail, and followed it up with a whistle. 

“ Naylor said he should whistle for a time and then hail,” 
said Brazier, trying to speak cheerfully. “ Come, lad, make 
a brave fight of it. You are getting faint with hunger, and 
that makes things look at their worst, so rouse up. Now 
then, answer Naylor’s whistle.” 

“ I can’t, not yet,” said Rob huskily. “ I am trying, Mr. 
Brazier, and I will master it all soon.” 

Just then the peculiar cry they had first heard rang out 
again from a distance. 

“Was that Joe?” whispered Rob, with a ghastly look, 
“ He must be in peril.” 

“ No, no ; it was a jaguar, I think. There goes Naylor 
again ! Whistle ! whistle ! ” 

Rob only gazed at him piteously, and Brazier responded 
to the signal himself. 

“ Come, come, Rob,” he whispered, “ be a man ! ” 

The lad made a tremendous effort to conquer his weakness, 
and turned away from the tree with his lips compressed, his 
eyes half closed, and forehead wrinkled. 

“That’s right,” cried Brazier, clapping him on the shoulder. 
“Who says our English boys are not full of pluck ? ” 

He whistled again in response to a signal from Shaddy, 
and then they listened and answered in turn for quite half an 
hour, during which the guide’s whistles and cries came from 
further and further away, but sounded as if he were at last 
keeping about the same distance, and working round so as 
to come back in another direction. 


222 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


Then for a time all signals ceased, and they heard the cry 
of the wild beast, followed by quite a chorus of shrieks 
and chatterings, which ceased as suddenly as they had 
begun. 

“ He has gone too far, Mr. Brazier,” cried Rob suddenly, 
a complete change having come over him, for he was once 
more full of excitement and energy. 

“I hope not.” 

“ But he is not signalling.” 

“ I’ll whistle again.” 

Brazier raised the little metal whistle to his lips and gave 
out a shrill, keen, penetrating note. 

Then they listened, but there was no answer. 

Brazier’s brow wrinkled, and he refrained from looking at 
Rob as he once more raised the whistle to his lips, to obtain 
for answer the unmistakable cry of some savage, cat-like 
creature, jaguar or puma, he could not tell which. 

“No guns ! no guns ! ” he muttered ; and moving away 
from Rob, he opened the long, sharp blade of his spring 
knife, one intended for hunting purposes, and thrust it up 
his sleeve. 

Just then Rob whistled as loudly as he could, and they 
both listened, when, to their intense relief, there came a 
reply far to their left. 

“ Hurrah ! ” cried the boy excitedly, and then, “ Oh, Mr. 
Brazier, what a relief ! ” 

Brazier drew a long, deep breath. 

“ Whistle again, boy,” he said ; but before Rob could 
obey there was another distant whistle, and on this being 
answered the signals went on from one to the other for quite 
half an hour, and at last there was a breaking and crashing 
noise, and Shaddy came within speaking distance. 

“ Hear that lion prowling about ? ” he shouted. 

“ Yes, several times.” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


223 

“ Ah, I began to feel as if a gun would be handy. He 
came too close to be pleasant.” 

“ What have you found — the river ? ” cried Brazier. 

“No, sir, not yet. I went far enough to be sure it ain’t 
that way.” 

A few minutes later he forced his way to their side, look- 
ing hot and exhausted. 

“ Why didn’t you answer me when I whistled and 
shouted ? ” he cried. 

“We did, Shaddy, every time we heard you.” 

“ Nay, my lad, didn’t seem to me as if you did. S’pose 
the trees kep’ it off at times. But all right, gentlemen, I 
shall soon hit it off, and we’ll get to the boat, have a good 
feed, and go to work again. Don’t look down, Mr. Rob, sir! 
How do we know as Mr. Jovanni isn’t there already waiting 
for us?” 

Rob shook his head. 

“ Ah, you don’t know, sir. Seems queer, don’t it, to get 
so lost! but it ain’t the fust time. I’ve known men go into 
the forest only a score of yards or so and be completely 
gone, every step they took carrying ’em farther away and 
making ’em lose their heads till their mates found ’em.” 

“ Stop ! Which way are you going now ? ” 

“ This way,” said Shaddy. 

“ But that’s back — the way we came.” 

Shaddy laughed, and without another word forced his way 
again in among the trees. 

“ I give up,” said Brazier in despair. “ It is too confusing 
for ordinary brains. I could have taken an oath that he was 
wrong.” 

He answered a whistle, and they stood waiting till the 
crackling and rustling made by their guide’s passage ceased. 

“ I couldn’t have believed that we came so far,” said Rob, 
breaking the silence. 


224 


THE GRAND CHACO . 


“ I don’t think we did come very far, Rob,” replied 
Brazier ; “ it is only that the place is so hopelessly puzzling 
and intricate. Time is getting on, too. We must not be 
overtaken by the night.” 

Rob could hardly repress a shudder, and, to make the 
dismal look of the narrow space, darkened by close-cluster- 
ing trees, more impressive, the peculiar exaggerated cat-like 
call of the beast they had heard or another of its kind rang 
out hollowly, apparently not very far away. 

Almost simultaneously, though, came Shaddy’s whistle, 
and this was answered and repeated steadily at some little 
distance, but at last growing quite faint. 

As they were waiting for the next call there was a rustling 
sound overhead, which took their attention, but for some 
time nothing but moving leaves could be made out in the 
subdued light, till all at once Brazier pointed to a spot some 
fifty feet above them, and at last Rob caught sight of the 
object which had taken his companion’s attention. 

“ Looking down and watching us,” he said quickly as he 
gazed at the peculiar little dark, old-looking face which was 
suddenly withdrawn, thrust out again, and finally disappeared. 

“ There is quite a party of monkeys up there, Rob,” said 
Brazier ; “ and the tree-tops are thoroughly alive with birds, 
but they are silent because we are here. “ Ahoy ! ” he 
shouted as Shaddy now hailed from somewhere nearer, and 
after a few shouts to and fro they heard him say, — 

“ Found it ! ” 

A thrill of joy ran through Rob, but it passed away and 
he felt despondent again as they started to rejoin their 
guide, for the thoughts of poor Joe were uppermost, and he 
began thinking of the day when they should go back and 
join the schooner to announce the terrible accident that had 
befallen the captain’s son. 

But he had to toil hard to get through the trees, and this 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


225 

work took away the power of thinking much of anything but 
the task in hand. Shaddy, too, had stopped short, waiting 
for them to come to him, and they had to squeeze themselves 
between trees, climb over half-rotten trunks, and again and 
again start aside and try another way as they found them- 
selves disturbing some animal, often enough a serpent. 

“ Bliged to stop here, gen’lemen, and mark the direction,” 
rang on their ears all at once. “ You see, one can’t travel in 
a straight line, and I was afraid of losing my way again.” 

“ How far is the river away ? ” 

“ Not quarter of a mile if you could go straight, my lad, 
but it’ll be half a mile way we have to twist about. But 
come along. Once we get to the water’s edge, we'll soon 
make the boat.” 

He turned, and led on slowly and laboriously, the diffi- 
culties increasing at every step, and more than once Rob was 
about to break down. The last time he took hold of a tree 
to support himself, and he was about to say, “ I can go no 
further,” when, looking up, there was Shaddy pointing down 
at the water, which had flooded over right in among the 
trunks. 

Rob dropped upon his knees directly, bent down, placed 
his lips to the water, and drank with avidity, Brazier follow- 
ing his example. 

The discovery of a guide which must lead them to the spot 
where they had left the boat, and the refreshment the river 
afforded gave Rob the strength to follow Shaddy manfully 
along the margin of the flood over twice the ground they had 
traversed in the morning — for their wanderings had taken 
them very much further astray than they had believed — and 
the result was that just at sundown, after being startled 
several times by the cries of the jaguar or puma close on 
their left apparently, Shaddy suddenly gave a hoarse cheer, 
for he had emerged upon the clearing at whose edge the 
Boat was moored. 


*5 


226 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


CHAPTER XX. 

A TERRIBLE SURPRISE. 

Shaddy looked sharply round as they crossed the clearing, 
all three breathing more freely at being once more in the open, 
and without the oppression of being completely shut in by 
trees on all sides, while the dense foliage overhead, com- 
pletely hid the sky. This was now one glorious suffusion of 
amber and gold, for the sun was below the horizon, and night 
close at hand, though, after the gloom of the primeval forest, 
it seemed to Rob and his companions as if they had just 
stepped out into the beginning of a glorious day. 

Don’t see no fire,” growled Shaddy. “ We’re all horribly 
down about losing poor Mr. Jovanni, but we must have rest 
and food, or we can’t work. Here, my lads, where are you ? ” 
he shouted in the dialect the men best understood. 

They were about half-way across the opening in the 
forest, as he shouted to the men, and the river was running 
like a stream of molten gold ; but the boat had been probably 
moored somewhere among the trees, so as to be safer than 
in the swift current, for it was not visible. 

“ D’ye hear, you ? ” roared Shaddy, fiercely, for he was out 
of temper from weariness with his exertions during the day. 
“ Are you all asleep ? There’s going to be about the hottest 
row over this, Mr. Brazier, as ever them lazy half-breed dogs got 
into. You pay them well to work, and instead of there being 
a good fire, and cooked meat and fish, and hot cake, and boil- 
ing water, they’re all fast sleep in that boat.” 

He stopped short and looked about him ; then, placing both 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


227 

hands to his mouth to make a trumpet, he uttered a sten- 
torian roar, which echoed from the tall bank of trees on the 
opposite side of the river. 

The only answer was the shriek of a macaw from across 
the water, where a pair of the long-tailed birds rose from a 
tall tree and winged their way over the tops. Directly after, 
there was a sharp yell, evidently the call of some cat-like 
beast. 

“ I’ll go over yonder and look among the trees, Mr. Brazier, 
sir, ” said Shaddy, after waiting for some more satisfactory 
reply, “ and I’ll take it kindly if you and Mr. Rob will have 
a look among them standing in the water that side. I dessay 
the boat’s run up close as they can get it one side or the 
other.” 

Brazier nodded, and went to one side of the clearing, while 
Shaddy forced his way through the low growth toward the 
other, Rob following close upon his leader’s steps till they 
reached the submerged trees, and worked along their edge, 
peering in amongst them as rapidly as they could, for there 
was no time to be lost. Night was coming on with tropical 
swiftness, and already the glorious amber tint was paling in 
the sky, and the water beneath the trees looking black. 

“ See anything of them, Rob ? ” cried Brazier again and 
again ; but the answer was always the same : a low despondent 
“ No.” 

All at once there was a loud shout, and they looked back 
to see Shaddy waving his cap and beckoning to them. 

“ Found them ? ” cried Rob, as he ran to meet their 
guide. 

“No, my lad ; they’re not here. Might have known it by 
there being no fire. Hi, Mr. Brazier, sir ! ” 

The latter came panting up, for it required no little exertion 
to get through the dense bushes and thick grass. 

“ What is it ? Where are they ? ” 


228 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ That’s what I want to know, sir. But look here, I’m so 
fagged out that my head won’t go properly. I mean I can’t 
think straight.” 

“ What do you mean, man ?” 

“ This, sir : look round, both of you, ’fore it gets darker. 
I’m all doubty, and I’ve got thinking that we’ve come to the 
wrong place.” 

“What?” cried Rob, excitedly. 

“ I say I’ve got a fancy that this ain ’t the right place, for 
there’s no one here, and no boat, and there ain’t been no 
fire.” 

“ How do you know, Shaddy ? ” 

“ ‘ Cause, if the boys had made a fire, they would naturally 
have put it there under that patch of bushes near the trees.” 

“ Why there, and not anywhere else ? ” 

“ ’ Cause that’s the place any one used to making fires on 
the rivers would pick at once. It’s shaded from the wind, 
handy to the trees, so as to get plenty of dead wood, and 
nigh the river to fetch water.” 

“ But the other side would have done as well,” said Rob, 
excitedly. 

“ No, it wouldn’t, sir, for the wind ketches there, and the 
sparks and smoke would be blowing all over the place. I 
say, is this the place where we left the boat this morning ? ” 

“ I— I dare not say, Naylor,” replied Brazier, after a little 
hesitation. “ I am so faint and worn out that I too cannot 
be certain.” 

“ I’m sure it is,” said Rob, quickly. 

“ There’s some one who can think, then,” cried Shaddy. 

“ 0ne moment, though, Mr. Rob, sir. Tell me how is it you 
are sure,” 

“Because I noticed that big tree on the other side of the 
water that one out of which those two big birds flew. 
There, you can see it plainly against the sky.” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


229 

“ Bah ! nonsense, my lad ! There are thousands of those 
great trees about.” 

“ But not like that, Shaddy,” said Rob eagerly. “ Look 
there against the light. It’s just like a man’s face, a giant’s, 
as if he were lying on his back, and you can see the forehead, 
nose, and chin, and a big beard quite plainly.” 

“ Well, it do. look like it, cert’nly,” growled Shaddy. 

“ Then, too, I remember the shape of the bank, and logk 
how the river bends round and comes in a curve. Of course 
this is the place ; I’m quite sure it is.” 

“ Right, my lad ! so was I, quite sure,” cried Shaddy, dis- 
mally ; “ but I was hoping and praying that I might be wrong, 
because if you are right, sir No, I won’t say it.” 

“ Yes, you will, Naylor,” cried Brazier, sternly. “ Speak 
out.” 

“ What ! if it’s very bad, sir ? ” 

“ Yes, my man ; this is no time for trifling. Tell me the 
worst.” 

“ There’s Mr. Rob here, sir,” said the guide, in a tone full 
of protest. 

“ I want to know the worst, too, Shaddy,” said Rob re- 
signedly. 

“ Then I’ll tell you, gentlemen, only don’t blame me for 
making your hearts as sore as mine is now.” 

“ Tell us everything, my man. For bad or good, in this 
journey we must work together for our mutual help and pro- 
tection, not merely as master and paid servant, but as English- 
men in a strange country, as brothers in a foreign land.” 

“ And that’s how I’m trying to work for you, Mr. Brazier, 
sir,” said Shaddy huskily, “ and it goes hard with me to tell 
you what I’m ’fraid on.” 

“ And that is ? ” said Brazier, while Rob bent forward listen- 
ing with throbbing heart. 

“ Either those lads of mine have met with a bad accident 


230 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


or they have gone off with the boat and left us to starve and 

die. ,, 

“ Taken — the boat — the stores — the guns ? ” faltered Rob. 

“ My collection and the means of prosecuting my re- 
searches ? ” cried Brazier. 

“ Yes, sir ; that’s it, I’m afraid, but I hope I’m wrong.” 

The two collectors stood silent for a few moments, for the 
announcement was appalling, and it took time to grasp all the 
horrors of their position. For to all intents and purposes 
they were as much cut off from help as if they had been upon 
some tiny islet in mid-ocean, the river- being useless without 
a boat, and three days’ experience alone sufficient to show 
them the madness of attempting to travel through the forest. 
In addition they were without food, and wanting in the means 
of obtaining a meal, let alone subsistence from day to 
day. 

Silence then, and with it darkness, fell upon the startled 
group, till Rob said sturdily, — 

“We’re all too tired to do anything or think anything till 
we have rested.and had some food. I’m ready to drop.” 

“ Them’s wise words,” said Shaddy. “ No one could have 
said better. This way gen’lemen, please ! ” 

He turned sharply round and led them towards the side of 
the opening in the forest which had been the scene of his 
search. 

“ What are you going to do, Naylor ? ” asked Brazier. 

“ What every man does first, sir, when night comes on in 
the wilds : light a fire to keep off the wild beasts.” 

A thrill of dread passed through Rob at this, for he had 
been too intent upon the discovery they had made to think 
anything of their danger. But now he glanced uneasily 
round, and saw the eyes of wild beasts glaring at them from 
the dense forest in all directions, till he was ready to laugh 
at his folly, for the gleaming eyes were fireflies. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


231 


Meanwhile Shaddy led them straight to the spot he had 
notified as being the one likely to be selected by a halting party 
for their fire, and here, with the help of the others, sufficient 
dead wood was collected to start a very small blaze, by whose 
light they proceeded to collect more and more from the edge 
of the forest beyond where the river had risen. But it was 
slow and arduous work for weary people, and they were con- 
stantly finding wood that was too small or else that which was 
too heavy to stir. Still they persevered, and at last so good 
a fire was burning that there was no fear of an attack by any 
prowling beast, and as its flames rose higher their tasks grew 
less difficult, and by joining hands a good pile of dead limbs 
was laid ready for keeping up the blaze. 

“ Something cheery ’bout a fire ! ” said Shaddy when it was 
decided that they had enough wood to last the night. 
“ Next thing ought to be supper, gentlemen.” 

“ And we have nothing,” said Rob despairingly. 

“ On’y water,” said Shaddy, “ plenty of that.” 

“ Qui dort dine , Rob,” said Brazier quietly. 

“ Speak to me, sir ? ” said Shaddy. 

“ No, but I will, my man,” replied Brazier. “ The French 
say that he who sleeps dines.” 

“ That’s true, sir,” said Shaddy, “ on’y it’s disappointing 
when you wake. I’ve lain down to go to sleep lots of times 
like this, tired out and hungry, and dropped asleep directly ; 
and as soon as I’ve been asleep I’ve begun to dream about 
eating all kinds of good things. It’s very nice in the dreaming, 
but it don’t keep up your courage.” 

“ There is nothing that we could possibly get to eat, is 
there, Shaddy,” said Rob, “ no berries nor fruit ? ” 

“ Couldn’t find ’em to-night, sir. In the morning I dare- 
say I can get some berries ; might manage a fish, too, to 
roast at daybreak.” 

“ But the ground ! it is so damp,” said Rob. 


232 THE GRAND CHACO. 

“ A few boughs will keep off the damp, Mr. Rob, sir ; so 1 
say, let’s all sleep.” 

“ But oughtn’t we to keep watch in turns, Naylor?” said 
Brazier. 

“ In an ordinary way, sir, yes, one would say it’s a duty — 
what a man should do,” replied the guide gravely : “ and I 
don’t deny there’s dangers about. But we’ve done all we can 
do, as men without weapons, by lighting that fire. I shall 
wake up now and then to throw on some branches and then lie 
down again. We can do no good more than we have done, 
and at a time like this I always think it’s a man’s duty to say, 
‘ Can I do anything else ? ’ and, if he feels he can’t, just say 
his bit of prayer and leave it to One above to watch over him 
through the dark hours of the night.” 

“ Amen,” said Brazier solemnly, and half an hour after, a 
pile of freshly broken-off boughs had been laid near the fire, 
and all laid down in perfect faith and trust to sleep and wait 
for the next day. 

Shaddy dropped off at once, while Brazier lay talking in a 
low tone to Rob, trying to instil some hopefulness. 

“ Please God,” he said at last, “ day will bring us help and 
counsel, my lad, and perhaps give prospects of finding poor 
Joe.” 

He ceased speaking, and directly after Rob knew by his 
regular breathing that he too was asleep. But that greatest 
blessing would not come to the boy, and he lay gazing now 
at the dancing flames, now trying to pierce the darkness be- 
yond, and ever and again seeing dangers in the apparently 
moving shadows cast by the fire. 

There were the noises, too, in the forest and along the 
river bank, sounding more appalling than ever, and as he 
listened and tried to picture the various creatures that 
howled, shrieked, and uttered those curious cries, he fully 
expected to hear that peculiar terror-inspiring sound which 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


2 33 

had puzzled even Shaddy, the old traveller and sojourner 
in the forest wilds. 

The horrible cry did not come, but as Rob lay there, too 
weary to sleep, too much agitated by the events of the day 
to grow calm and fit for rest, that sound always seemed to 
the lad as if it were about to break out close to where he 
lay, and the fancy made his breath come short and thick, till 
the remembrance of his boy-comrade once more filled his mind, 
and he lay trying to think out some way by which it was pos- 
sible that Joe had escaped that day. These thoughts stayed 
in his mind as the fire died out from before his heavy eyes, 
and at last, in spite of all, he too slept heavily, and dreamed 
of the young Italian coming to him holding out his hand 
frankly and then in foreign fashion leaning towards him and 
kissing him on the cheek. 

At the touch Rob leaped back into wakefulness, rose to 
his elbow, and looked sharply round, perfectly convinced that 
his cheek had been touched, and that, though in his sleep, he 
had felt warm breath across his face. 

But there was nothing to see but the blazing fire, whose 
snapping and crackling mingled with the croaking, hissing, 
and strange cries from the forest. Fireflies glided here and 
there, and scintillated about the bushes ; Brazier and Shaddy 
both slept hard; and the peculiar cry of a jaguar or other 
cat-like animal came softly from somewhere at a distance. 

“ Fancy ! ” said Rob softly as he sank down, thinking of 
Shaddy’s last words that night. The troubles of the day died 
away, and he dropped off fast asleep again, to begin once 
more dreaming of Joe, and that they were together in the _ 
cabin of the boat side by side. 

And it all seemed so real, that dream ; he could feel the 
warmth from the young Italian’s body in the narrow space, 
and it appeared to him that Joe moved uneasily when there 
was a louder cry than usual in the forest and crept closer to 


234 


THE GRAND CHACO . 


him for protection, even going so far as to lay an arm across 
his chest, inconveniencing him and feeling hot and heavy, 
but he refrained from stirring, for fear of waking him up. 

Then the dream passed away, and he was awake, wonder- 
ing- whether he really was in the cabin again, with Joe beside 
him. 

No ; he was lying on the boughs beside the fire, but so real 
had that dream seemed that the fancy was on him still that 
he could feel the warmth of Joe’s body and the boy’s arm 
across his chest. 

“And it was all a dream,” thought Rob, with the bitter 
tears rising to his eyes, as he gazed upward at the trees, “ a 
dream — a dream ! ” 

No, it was no dream. He was awake now, and there was 
a heavy arm across his chest and a head by his side. 

“ Joe ! Oh, Joe ! ” cried Rob aloud ; and he grasped at the 
arm, touched it, felt its pressure for an instant, and then it 
was gone, while at his cry both Shaddy and Brazier sprang 
up. 

“ What is it ? ” 

“ I — I — think I must have been dreaming,” said Rob ex- 
citedly. “ I woke with a start, fancying Joe had come back, 
and that he was lying down beside me.” 

“ A dream, Rob, my lad ! ” said Brazier, with a sigh. “ Lie 
down again, boy, your brain is over-excited. Try once more 
to sleep.” 

Rob obeyed, feeling weak and hysterical ; but after a few 
minutes sleep came once more, and it was morning when he 
reopened his eyes. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


235 


CHAPTER XXL 

“where there’s a will there’s a way.” 

A glorious, a delicious, morning, with the mists passing 
away in wisps of vapor before the bright sunshine, the leaves 
dripping with dew, and bird and insect life in full activity. 

But it was everything for the eye and nothing for the inner 
man. Waking from a most restful sleep meant also the 
awakening to a sensation of ravenous hunger, and directly 
after to the terrible depression caused by the loss sustained 
on the previous day and their position — alone, and without 
the means of obtaining food. 

When Rob started up he found Brazier in earnest conver- 
sation with Shaddy, and in a few minutes the boy learned 
that their guide had been about from the moment he could 
see to make up the fire, and then he had been searching in 
all directions for traces of their companions. 

“ And you feel sure that they have gone ? ” Brazier was 
saying when Rob joined them. 

“ Certain sure, sir.” 

“ But I still cling to the belief that we have blundered into 
the wrong place in our weariness and the darkness last night. 
Why, Naylor, there must be hundreds of similar spots to this 
along the banks of the river.” 

“ Might say thousands, sir ; but you needn’t cling no more 
to no hopes, for this is the right spot, sure enough.” 

“ How do you know ? ” cried Rob. 

“ ’Cause there’s the mark where the boat’s head touched 
ground, where we landed, and our footmarks in the mud.” 


236 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ And those of the men ? ” cried Brazier hastily. 

“ No, sir ; they none of them landed. There’s your foot 
marks, Mr. Rob’s, and mine as plain as can be, and the 
water has shrunk a bit away since we made ’em yesterday. 
No, sir, there’s no hope that way.” 

“ Then what ever are we to do, man ? ” cried Brazier. 

“ Like me to tell you the worst, sir ? ” 

“ Yes, speak out ; we may as well know.” 

Shaddy was silent for a few moments, and then said, — 

“Well, gen’lemen, those fellows have gone off with the 
boat and all in it. The guns and things was too much for 
’em, and they’ve gone to feast for a bit and then die off like 
flies. They’ll never work enough by themselves to row that 
boat back to Paraguay river, for one won’t obey the other. 
They’ll be like a watch without a key.” 

“ Then they have gone down the river ? ” said Rob. 

“Yes, sir, wherever it takes them, and they’ll shoot a bit 
and fish a bit till they’ve used all the powder and lost their 
lines. So much for them. Let’s talk about ourselves. Well, 
gentlemen, we might make a sort of raft thing of wood and 
bundles of rushes. Can’t make a boat for want of an axe, 
and we might float down the stream, but I’m afraid it would 
only be to drown ourselves, or be pulled off by the critters in 
the water.” 

“ But the land, Shaddy ! ” cried Rob. “ Can’t we really 
walk along the bank back to where we started ? ” 

“ You saw yesterday, sir,” said Shaddy grimly. 

“ But couldn’t we find a way across the forest to some 
point on the great river, Naylor ? ” said Brazier. 

“ No, sir, and we’ve got to face what’s before us. No 
man can get through that great forest without chopping his 
way with an axe, and he’d want two or three lifetimes to 
do it in, if he could find food as he went. I’m talking as one 
who has tried all this sort o’ thing for many years, and I’m 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


237 

telling you the simple truth when I say that, situated as we 
are, we’ve either got to stop here till help comes, or go down 
the river on some kind of raft.” 

“ Then why not do that and risk the dangers ? ” cried Rob. 

“ Yes,” said Brazier. “ Why not do that? No help can 
possibly come here unless Indians pass by in a canoe.” 

“ Which they won’t, sir, and if they did they’d kill us as 
they would wild beasts. I don’t believe there’s an Indian 
for a hundred miles.” 

“ Then what do you propose doing first ? ” asked Brazier. 

“ Trying to kill the wolf, sir.” 

“ What ! hunger ? ” 

“ Yes, sir. He’s a-gnawing away at me awful. Let’s see 
what berries and fruit we can find, and then try whether we 
can’t get hold of a fish.” 

“ But we are forgetting all about poor Joe,” said Rob in 
agonized tones. 

“ That we ain’t, sir. I know you’re not, and if you’ll show 
me what I can do more than I did last evening and afternoon 
to find the poor boy, here’s Shadrach Naylor ready to risk 
his life any way to save him. But set me to do it, for I can’t 
see no way myself. Can you ? ” 

Rob was silent, and Brazier shook his head. 

“ You see, it’s like this, sir,” continued Shaddy ; “ people 
as have never been in these woods can’t understand what it 
means, when it’s just this : Shut your eyes and go a dozen 
yards, turn round, and you’re lost. There’s nothing to guide 
you but your own footsteps, and you can’t see them. You 
may live for a few days by chewing leaves, and then it’s lie 
down and die, wishing you were a monkey or a bird. That’s 
the truth, gentlemen.” 

“ Then you give up in despair, Naylor ? ” said Brazier 
angrily. 

“ Not I, sir — not the sort o’ man. What I say is, we can’t 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


238 

do no good by wasting our strength in looking for Mr. Joe. 
We’ve got to try and save our own lives by stopping where 
we are.” 

“ And what shall we do first ? ” 

“ Use our brains, sir, and find something to eat, as I said 
afore. There’s fruit to find, fish, birds, and monkeys to 
catch. Snakes ain’t bad eating. There’s plenty of water, 

and Oh, we’re not going to die yet. Twobigmenand 

a small one, and all got knives ; so come along, and let’s 
see what we can do.” 

Shaddy turned to the fire, taking out his knife and trying 
the edge. 

“ First thing I want, Mr. Rob, is a bit of hard half-burnt 
wood — forked bit, out of which I can make a big fish-hook, 
a long shank and a short one. It must be hard and tough, 
and Why, hullo ! I didn’t see these here before.” 

“ What ? ” asked Rob and Brazier in a breath, and their 
companion pointed down at the earth. 

“ Fresh footmarks, gen’lemen,” said Shaddy. 

“ Joe’s ? ” cried Rob. 

“ Nay, my lad ; it’s a lion’s, and he has been prowling 
round about our fire in the night.” 

Rob started, and thought of his realistic dream, but he 
was faint, confused in intellect, and could not fit the puzzle 
together then. 

“ Well, he hasn’t eaten either of us,” said Shaddy, with 
a grim smile, “ and he’d better mind what he’s about, or 
we’ll eat him. Ah, here we are ! ” he exclaimed, pouncing 
upon a piece of burning wood. “ Now you take your cap, 
Mr. Rob, and hunt all round for any fruit you can find. 
Don’t be wasteful and pick any that ain’t ripe. Leave that 
for another day. We shall want it. And don’t go in the 
forest. There’s more to be found at the edge than inside, 
because you can’t get to the tops of the trees ; and don’t 


the grand chaco. 


2 39 

eat a thing till I’ve seen it, because there’s plenty poisonous 
as can be.” 

“ All right ! ” said Rob, and he turned to go. 

“ And cheer up, both of you,” said their companion. 
“ We won’t starve while there’s traps to be made, and bows 
and arrows, and fishing tackle. Now, Mr. Brazier, please, 
you’ll sit down on that dead tree, take off that silk hand- 
kercher from your neck, and pull out threads from it one by 
one, tie ’em together, and wind ’em up round a bit of stick. 
Soon as I’ve made this big rough wooden hook, I’ll lay the 
silk up into a line.” 

“ But you’ve no bait,” said Brazier, who was already 
taking off his necktie. 

“No bait, sir ? Mr. Rob’s going to find some wild oranges 
or sour sops, or something, and if he don’t I still mean to 
have a fish. Why, if I can’t find nothing else I’ll have a 
bait if I come down to cutting off one of my toes — perhaps 
one o’ Mr. Rob’s would be tenderer or more tempting — 
or my tongue p’r’aps, for I do talk too much. Work, both 
of you ; I’ll soon have a bait, for I want my breakfast like 
mad.” 

Rob hurried off, but did not reach the great trees which 
surrounded the open spot, for at the third clump of bushes 
he came upon an orange-colored fruit growing upon a vine- 
like plant in abundance. It seemed to be some kind of 
passion-flower, and, in spite of Shaddy’s warning, he tasted 
one, to find it of a pleasant, sweetish acid flavor. 

Gathering a capful, he returned at once to where his com- 
panions in misfortune were hard at work. 

“ Hullo ! ” growled Shaddy. “ Soon back ! What have 
you got, my lad ? Kind o’ granadillas, eh ? Well, they’re 
good to eat, but not much to make a breakfast of. Better 
wait till I’ve done a bit o’ conjuring and turned one of ’em 
into a fish. There, what do you say to that for a hook ? ” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


240 

He held up his piece of wood carving, which was about 
four inches long and two across, something in this shape : — 



“ Not much of a hook, Mr. Rob, sir, but tough enough to 
hold a fish if we can coax him to swallow it by covering it 
with the fruit. We can get three on the shank and point. 
So now for the line ! How are you getting on, Mr. Brazier, 
sir ? ” 

“ Very slowly, Naylor,” said Brazier, with a sigh. 

“ All the more surer, sir. You help Mr. Rob, sir, and I’ll 
lay up some of my cotton handkercher for the snood. No ; 
second thoughts is best. I’ll make a loose hank of it, so 
that the fish’s teeth may go through if he tries to bite the 
line, which of course he will.” 

The result was that in an hour or so a silk line of about 
twenty yards in length was twisted up and attached to the 
loose cotton bottom secured to the hook. This was baited, 
and, after selecting a suitable spot, Shaddy climbed out 
upon a half-fallen tree whose trunk projected over the river, 
and dropped his line into a deep eddying pool, where the 
water ran round and round in a way which made Rob feel 
giddy. 

There was a steep slope just here, so that the bank was 
not flooded, and hence the angler was able to drop his line 
at once into deep water, where the action of the whirling 
current sufficed to suck the bait right down, while Brazier 
and Rob looked on with the interest of those who depended 
upon success to give them the food from the want of which 
they were suffering keenly. 

“ Now then,” said Shaddy cheerfully, “ if the bait don’t 
come off, if a fish takes it, if there are any here, if the hook 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


241 


don’t break and the line give way, I may catch our breakfast. 
Plenty of ifs, Mr. Rob, sir ! Remember the big doradoes we 
caught up yonder ? ” 

“ Oh, if you could catch one now ! ” replied the lad. 

“ Ah, if I could, sir ! Perhaps I shall, but I don’t want a 
big one. Now for it ! ” 

A quarter of an hour passed away, during which time 
Shaddy pulled up and examined his bait twice, to see if it 
was safe, but there was no sign of fish there, though out in 
mid-stream and toward the farther shore there was evi- 
dently abundance, the water being disturbed and some big 
fellow springing out every now and then, to come down with a 
mighty splash, scattering the sparkling drops in all directions. 

“ I shall have to come down to a toe, Mr. Rob, sir,” said 
Shaddy grimly. “ The fish don’t seem to care for fruit so 
early in the morning. It’s all very well for dessert, but they 
like a substantial meal first. Now then, get your knife ready. 
Whose is it to be ? Shall we pull straws for the lot ? ” 

“ Try a little farther this way, Shaddy,” said Rob, ignoring 
the remark. 

“ Right, sir ! I will,” said Shaddy, shifting the position of 
his bait, “ but it strikes me we’ve got into a ’gator hole, and 
consequently there’s no fish.” 

“ Do you think they can see you ? ” 

“ No, sir. Water’s too thick. Look yonder.” 

“ What at ? ” 

“ Monkeys in that tree watching us. Now if you’d got a 
bow and arrows you might bring one or two down.” 

“ What for ! ” 

“ What for, my lad ? ” cried the guide in astonishment. 
“ And he asks what for, when we’re all starving. Why, to 
eat, of course.” 

“ Ugh ! I’m not so hungry as that ! ” cried Rob, with a 
shudder. 

16 


242 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ You ain’t ? Well, my lad, I am, and so I tell you. 
They’re capital eating. Why, I remember once when I was 

up the river with a party we all had A fish ! a fish ! ” he 

cried as upon raising his line, to see if the bait were all right, 
he suddenly felt a fierce tug ; and the next minute the pool 
began to be agitated in a peculiar way. 

“ Here, Mr. Rob, I’m going to hand you the line, and 
you’ve got to run him out at once upon the bank. If I try 
to play him he’s sure to go. There, I’ll ease him down, and 
he’ll think it’s all right and be quiet. Then you draw in gently, 
and as soon as he feels the hook run him right out, and 
you, Mr. Brazier, sir, stand ready at the water’s edge to mind 
he don’t get back. Mind, I don’t say it ain’t a small ’gator 
all the same.” 

He passed the end of the line to Rob as the captive, what- 
ever it was, now lay quiet, but as soon as the lad began to 
draw the line ashore there was another heavy tug. 

“ Run him out, sir, not hand over hand ; run and turn your 
back,” shouted Shaddy, and as fast as he could get over the 
tangled growth amongst the trees Rob obeyed, with the result 
that he drew a large golden-scaled fish right out of the river 
and up the bank a couple of yards, when something parted, 
and Shaddy uttered a yell as he saw the captive flapping back 
toward the pool. 

“ Gone ! gone ! ” cried Rob in dismay. “ I knew ” 

He said no more for the moment, and then uttered a shout 
of delight as he saw the efficacy of their guide’s arrangements, 
for before the fish reached the edge Brazier had thrown 
himself upon it, and paying no heed to slime, spines, or sharp 
teeth, he thrust his hands beneath and flung it far up toward 
where Rob in turn carried on the attack. 

The next minute Shaddy was beside them, knife in hand, 
with which he rapidly killed, cleaned, and scaled the fish, 
finding the tough hook broken in two, before chopping off a 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


243 


couple of great palm-like leaves, in which he wrapped his 
prize as he trotted toward the fire, where, with a half-burned 
branch, he raked a hole in the glowing embers, laid down the 
fish, raked the embers over again and then said, — 

“Not to be touched for half an hour. Who’ll come and 
try for more solid fruit ? ” 

If Rob’s spirits had not been so low he would have been 
amused by the boyish manner of their companion as he led 
them here and there, till at the edge of the forest he mounted 
and climbed about a tree till he was well out on a great branch, 
from which he shook down a shower of great fruit that looked 
like cricket-balls, but which on examination proved to be the 
hard husks of some kind of nut. 

“ What are these ? ” cried Rob. 

“ Don’t you know ’em ? ” said Shaddy as soon as he had 
descended. 

“ No.” 

“Yes, you do, my lad. You’ve seen ’em in London lots of 
times,” and hammering a couple together, he broke open one 
and showed the contents, to wit so many Brazil nuts packed 
together in a round form like the carpels of an orange. 

“ I never knew they grew like that/'' cried Rob eagerly. 

“ And I must confess my ignorance, too,” said Brazier. 

“ Ah, there’s lots to learn in this world gen’lemen,” said 
Shaddy quietly. “ Not a very good kind o’ nut, but better 
than nothing. Bit too oily for me, but they’ll serve as bread 
for our fish if we get a couple of big stones for nutcrackers. 
They’re precious hard.” 

“ Then we shan’t starve yet,” cried Rob as he loaded 
himself with the cannon-ball-like fruit — pockets, cap, and as 
many as he could hold in his arms. 

“ Starve ? I should think not,” cried Shaddy, “ and these 
here outsides ’ll have to serve for teacups.” 

“ Without tea, Shaddy ? ” 


244 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“Who says so, my lad? You wait, and we’ll find coca and 
mate, and who knows but what we may hit upon coffee and 
chocolate ? Why, I won’t swear as we don’t find sugarcane. 
’T all events, we’re going to try.” 

“Well, Naylor, you are puttirlg a different complexion on 
our prospects,” said Brazier, who had joined them. 

“ Yes, sir, white one instead of a black one. Next thing 
is to get a roof over our heads ready for the heavy rains, 
and then we’ve got to save all the feathers of the birds we 
catch or shoot for feather beds. We shall have a splendid 
place before we’ve done, and you can mark out as big an estate 
as you like. But come along; I’m thinking that fish must 
be done.” 

Upon Shaddy sweeping its envelope clear of the embers, 
he found it was quite done, and soon served it out brown 
and juicy upon a great banana-like leaf. 

“ Now, gentlemen, grace ! and fall to,” said their cook, 
merrily. “ Nuts afterwards when I’ve found two big stones.” 

There was not much of the delicious fish left when a quar- 
ter of an hour had passed, and then Rob uttered a grumble. 

It was very good, he said only they had no salt. 

“ If you’d only spoken a bit sooner, Master Rob, I could 
have got you some pepper,” said Shaddy, “ but salt ? Ah 
there you beat me altogether. It’s too far to send down to 
the sea.” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


245 


CHAPTER XXII. 

BRAVE EFFORTS. 

That same afternoon after a quiet discussion of their 
position, the result of which was to convince Brazier and 
Rob of the utter hopelessness of any attempt to escape, they 
joined with Shaddy in the most sensible thing they could do, 
namely an attempt to forget their sorrow and misery in hard 
work. 

“ If we want to be healthy,” Shadrach had said, “ we must 
first thing get a shelter over our heads where we can sleep at 
nights, clear of the heavy dews, and which we can have ready 
next time it comes on to rain.” 

A suitable position was soon found high up where no 
flood was likely to reach, and presenting several attractions. 

First, it was at the head of the clearing exactly facing the 
river, so that a passing boat could be seen. Secondly, it was 
between two great trees, apparently twins, whose smooth 
columnar trunks ran up some twenty feet without a branch ; 
after that they were one mass of dense foliage, which dropped 
down nearly to the ground and looked thick enough to throw 
off, as the leavage lay bough above bough, any fall of rain 
short of a waterspout. 

The trees were about twelve feet apart, and from a dis- 
tance the boughs had so intermingled that they looked like 
one. 

“ That’s the spot, sir ! ” Shaddy exclaimed. “ Now then 
the first thing is to find a branch that will do for a ridge 
pole.” 


246 


THE GRAND CHACO . 


That first thing proved to be the most difficult they could 
have . undertaken, for a long search showed nothing port- 
able at all likely to answer the purpose ; and though palm 
after palm was found, all were too substantial to be attacked 
by pocket-knives. They were getting in despair, when Rob 
hit upon one close down to the river, which the united 
strength of all three, after Rob had climbed it and by his 
weight dragged the top down within reach, sufficed to lever 
out of the saturated ground. 

As soon as the young palm was down, Shaddy set Brazier 
and Rob to cut off the roots and leaves, which latter they 
were told to stack ready for use, from where they hung six 
or eight feet long, while he — Shaddy — knife in hand, busied 
himself in cutting long lianas and canes to act as ropes. 

An hour later they had the young palm bound tightly to 
the trees about six feet from the ground, after which branches 
were cut and carried, so that they could be laid with the 
thick ends against the ridge pole and the leaves resting upon 
the ground from end to end. 

This done, others were laid on in the same way, the leaves, 
and twigs fitting in so accurately that after a busy two hours 
they had a strong shed of branches ready for stopping up at 
one end with thorns and more boughs, while Rob had to 
climb up the slope and thatch the place with the palm leaves, 
forming a roof impervious to any ordinary rain. 

“ That will do for sleeping, eh, gen’lemen ? ” said Shaddy. 
“ We’ll finish it another time. We can rest in shelter. 
Now then for getting our wages — I mean a decent supper.” 

Rob had been conscious for some time past of sundry faint 
sensations ; now he knew that they meant hunger, and as 
they left the hut they had made he did not look forward with 
any great feelings of appetite to a meal of nuts. 

But it soon became evident that Shaddy had other ideas, 
for he went to the fire again to obtain a hardened piece of 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


247 

wood for fashioning into a hook, when an idea struck Rob, 
and he turned to their guide eagerly. 

“ Did you ever sniggle eels ? ” he said. 

“ Did I ever what, sir ? ” 

“ Sniggle eels.” 

Shaddy shook his head. 

“ No. I’ve bobbed for ’em and set night lines, and caught 
’em in baskets and eel traps after storms. Is either of them 
sniggling ? ” 

“ No,” cried Rob eagerly, “ and you might catch fish per- 
haps that way. I’ll show you; I mean, I’ll tell you. You 
take a big needle, and tie a piece of strong thin silk to it 
right in the middle.” 

“Ay, I see,” said Shaddy. 

“ Then you push the needle right into a big worm and 
stick the point of the needle into a long thin pole, and push 
the worm into a hole in a bank where eels are.” 

“ Yes, I see.” 

“ Then one of the eels swallows the worm, and you pull 
the line.” 

“ And the worm comes out.” 

“ No, it does not,” said Rob. “As it’s tied in the middle, 
it is pulled right across the eel’s throat, and you can catch it 
without being obliged to use a hook.” 

“ That’s noo and good,” said Shaddy eagerly. “ I could 
fish for doradoes that way, but I’ve got no needle.” 

“ Wouldn’t this do, Shaddy ? ” said the lad, and he took 
a steel needle-like toothpick out of the handle of his pocket- 
knife. 

“The very thing!” cried Shaddy, slapping his leg, and, 
after tying his newly-made line to the little steel implement 
in the way described, he bound over it with a silken thread 
a portion of the refuse of the fish they had previously 
caught. Going to his former place, he cast in his line, and 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


248 

in five minutes was fast to a good-sized fish, which after a 
struggle was landed safely. And soon another was caught. 

“ Man never knows what he can do till he tries,” cried 
Shaddy merrily. “ Why, we can live like princes, gentle- 
men. No fear of starving ! Fish as often as we like to 
catch ’em, and then there’s birds and other things to come. 
You don’t feel dumpy now, Mr. Rob, do you ? ” 

“ I don’t know, Shaddy. I’m very hungry and tired.” 

“Wait till we’ve had supper, my lad, and then we’ll see 
what we can do about making a bow and arrows.” 

As he spoke he rapidly cleaned the fish, treated them as 
before, and placed them in the embers, which were glowing 
still. 

While the fish cooked Shaddy busied himself in crushing 
some of the nuts by using one stone as a hammer, and an- 
other as an anvil, while some of them he set to roast by way 
of a change. 

By the time the fish were ready the sun was rapidly going 
down, and when the meal wteis at an end — a meal so deli- 
cious, in spite of the surroundings, that it was eaten with the 
greatest of enjoyment — it was too dark to see about bows 
and arrows, and the disposition of all three was for sleep. 

So the boughs collected on the previous night were carried 
in beneath the shelter and made into beds, upon which, after 
well making up the fire, all stretched themselves, and, utterly 
wearied out by the arduous toil of the day, fell asleep at 
once, in spite of the chorus of nocturnal creatures around. 
Though a couple of cicadas settled in their rudely made roof 
and kept up a harsh chirping loud enough to have kept 
awake any one who had not gone through as much work as 
two ordinary men, they slept on. 

“ But it can’t be morning,” thought Rob as he was awak- 
ened by Shaddy touching him on the shoulder, and then he 
uttered his thought aloud, 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


249 

“Well, if it ain’t, my lad, the sun’s made a mistake, for 
he’ll be up directly. Coming out ? ” 

“ Yes; wait till I wake Mr. Brazier.” 

“ Nay ; let him be till we’ve got breakfast ready, my lad. 
He looked regularly done up last night. He can’t bear it 
all like young chaps such as we.” 

Rob laughed, and then a cloud came over him as he 
stepped out into the soft gray morning, for he had caught 
sight of the hurrying river, and this brought up the boat 
and the loss of his companion and friend. 

“ Look here, Mr. Rob,” said Shaddy, changing the current* 
of the boy’s thoughts directly, “ I’ve been thinking out that 
bow and arrow business.” 

“ Yes, Shaddy.” 

“And I’ve found out some splendid tackle for arrows.” 

“ What ! this morning ? Then you have been out and 
about ! ” 

“Yes, soon as I could see my way. I found a bed of 
reeds which will make capital arrows with a point of hard 
wood a bit burned, and there’s no end of ’em, so there’s our 
shot all straight as well as arrows. Now you and I are going 
to get a fish and put him to cook, and after that we’ll try and 
find a bit of wood good enough for a bow.” 

“ And where’s your string, Shaddy ? ” 

“ Round your neck, sir. You don’t think you’re going to 
indulge in such luxuries as silk han’kerchers at a time like 
this, do you ? Because, if you do, I don’t ; so you’ll have to 
pull out all the threads and wind ’em up, like Mr. Brazier 
did. His han’kercher will do for fishing lines. Yours shall 
be bow strings. Why, who knows but what we may get a 
deer ? Anyhow we may get one of them carinchos, and not 
bad eating, either.” 

The fish was soon caught in the swift clear water, but all 
attempts to take another failed. It was, however, ample for 


250 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


their meal, and after it had been placed in the fire, which 
had never been allowed to go out since first lit, Rob’s com- 
panion pointed out more footprints of a puma, and soon 
after those of a deer, both animals having evidently been in 
the opening within the last few hours, from the freshness of 
the prints. 

The reeds for the arrows were cut, and proved to be firm, 
strong, and light, but the selection of a branch for the bow 
proved to be more of a task. One was, however, decided 
upon at last, roughly trimmed, and thrown on the fire for a 
few minutes to harden, and it was while the pair were busy 
over this task, watching the tough wood carefully, that 
Brazier found them, apologizing for his so-called idleness 
and eagerly asking what he should do to help. 

“ Nothing, sir, at present, but have your breakfast. Would 
you mind picking a few plates and a dish, Mr. Rob ? Let’s 
have the green pattern again.” 

Rob smiled as he went to the arum-like plant which had 
supplied him before, and returned to the fire just as Shaddy 
was apologizing seriously for its being fish again for break- 
fast and promising a change before night. 

The apology was uncalled for, the freshly caught, newly 
roasted fish proving to be delicious ; and roasted nuts, 
though they were not chestnuts and were often flavored with 
burned oil, were anything but a bad substitute for bread. 

“ There, gen’lemen,” said Shaddy as they finished, “ next 
thing seems to be to go down to the waterside and have a 
good drink of nature’s own tea and coffee. Worse things 
than water, I can tell you, I always think to myself when 
I’ve nothing else, that what was good enough for Adam and 
Eve ought to be good enough for me.” 

“ Water’s delicious,” cried Rob as they reached a conveni- 
ent place and lay down to scoop up the cool clear fluid with 
their hands and drink heartily. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


2 5 * 

“ So it is, Mr. Rob, sir, ’licious,” said Shaddy; “but wait 
a bit, and you shall have something to put in the water, if 
it’s only fruit juice to flavor it. But what I want to find is 
some of those leaves they make into South American tea.” 

Just then Shaddy smiled and rose to his knees, watching 
Brazier, who had moved off thirty or forty yards away. 

“ What are you laughing at ? ” asked Rob. 

“ Mr. Brazier’s want of good manners, sir. Don’t seem 
the thing for a gen’leman like him to go washing his face 
and hands in his tea and coffee-cup ; now do it ? ” 

“ Plenty of room, Shaddy ! ” said Rob. “ I’m going to 
follow his example.” 

He stretched out oyer the water from the bank, reached 
down his hands, and began to bathe his face, the water feel- 
ing deliciously cool to his brow and eyes as he scooped up 
handsful, and he was just revelling in an extra good quan- 
tity, when he uttered an ejaculation of alarm, for he felt him- 
self seized by the collar as if he were about to be hurled 
into the river, but it proved only to be Shaddy snatching 
him away. 

“ Why did you do that ? ” cried Rob angrily as he pressed 
the water out of his eyes and darted a resentful look at the 
big rough fellow, who stood looking quietly at him. 

“ ’Cause we wanted you to be useful, my lad, and because 
you didn’t want to go below yonder and feed the fishes,” re- 
plied Shaddy coolly. “ Didn’t you see that ’gator ? ” 

“ No. Where ? Was it near me ? ” 

“ Pretty near, sir. I happened to look, and saw him com. 
ing slowly nearer and nearer, ready for making a dash at 
you, and as I’d neither gun nor spear to tackle him, I had 
to pull you out of the way.” 

“ Was it big ? ” said Rob, with a shudder. 

“ No, sir, only a little one, about six foot long, but quite 
strong enough to have hung on and overbalanced you into the 


252 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


water, where there would have been plenty more to help him. 
Now I tell you what, sir, Mr. Brazier had better be told 
to be careful,” continued Shaddy. “ Ah, he sees danger ; 
so it’s all right.” 

For Brazier suddenly shrank away from the edge of the 
river, rose, and called to them. 

“Take care, Rob ! ” he shouted; “ the water here swarms 
with alligators. One little wretch was coming at me just 
now.” 

“ Yes, sir, better mind ! ” cried Shaddy. “ We’ve just had 
one here.” Then turning to Rob, — 

“ Now, Master Rob, sir, what do you say to our spending 
the day making bows and arrows ? ” 

“ I’m ready.” 

“ And perhaps, Mr. Brazier, sir, you wouldn’t mind trying 
for another fish for dinner, in case we don’t get our shooting 
tackle ready.” 

Brazier nodded, and soon after prepared to fish, but even 
in their peculiar strait he could not refrain from looking long- 
ingly at plant, insect, and bird, especially at a great bunch of 
orchids which were pendent from a bough. 

He did not seem likely to have much success in the pool 
or eddy where the other fish had been caught, and soon after 
movedoff to another place, but meanwhile Rob and Shaddy 
were busy in the extreme, the latter making some half-charred 
pieces of wood from the fire into little hardened points ready 
for Rob to fix into the cleft he split in the end of each reed 
and then binding them tightly in making a notch for the bow- 
string at the other end, and laying down one by one finished 
for the sheaf he had set himself to prepare. 

These done, Rob began upon the silken bow-string, pull 
ing out the threads from his neckerchief and tying them to- 
gether till he had wound up what promised to be enough, 
afterwards doubling and twisting them tightly, while Shaddy 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


2 53 


was whistling softly and using his pocket-knife as if it were 
a spoke-shave to fine down the thick end of the piece of wood 
intended for the bow. 

11 Strikes me, Mr. Rob,” he said, “ that we shall have to 
use this very gingerly, or it will soon break. I know what I 
wish I had.” 

“ What ? ” asked Rob. 

i( Rib of an old buffalo or a dead horse.” 

“ What for?” 

“ To make a bow, my lad. It would only be a short one, 
but wonderfully strong. You’d have to use short arrows, 
and it would be hard to pull, but with a bow like that you 
could send an arrow through a deer. But as we haven’t got 
one, nor any chance of finding one, we must do the best with 
this.” 

Rob watched with the greatest of interest the progress of the 
bow, busying himself the while with the string, which was 
finished first; and as it displayed a disposition to unwind 
and grow slack, it was thoroughly wetted and stretched be- 
tween two boughs to dry. 

“Shall you succeed in getting a bow made ? ” said Brazier, 
coming up. 

“ Oh yes, sir, I think so,” said the guide ; “ better bow than 
archer, I’m thinking, without Mr. Rob here surprises us all 
by proving himself a clever shot. ” 

“ Don’t depend upon me,” said Rob mournfully, for his 
thoughts were upon Joe and his sad end, and when by an 
effort he got rid of these depressing ideas, his mind filled 
with those of the Indians turning against them in so cowardly 
a way, leaving them to live or die, just as it might happen, 
while they escaped with the plunder in the boat. 

“ What are you thinking about, Rob? ’’said Brazier, after . 
speaking to him twice without eliciting an answer. 

“ Of the men stealing our boat. It was so cruel. ” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


254 

“ Don’t you fret about it, Mr. Rob ! They’ll soon get their 
doo of punishment for it. Worst day’s work they ever did in 
their lives. You’d think that chaps like they would have 
known better, but they’re just like children. They see some- 
thing pretty, and they’ll do anything to get hold of it, and 
when they’ve got it they find it’s of no use to ’em and are 
tired of it in an hour. I’ll be bound to say they’re wishing 
they hadn’t gone and were back along of us.” 

“ Then they may repent and come,” said Brazier. 

Shaddy uttered a low chuckling sound. 

“ And I shall save my collection after all.” 

“ Don’t you think, sir!” said Shaddy seriously. “They 
couldn’t get back, as I said ; and if they could they daren’t, 
on account of you and me. They’ve got a wholesome kind 
of respect for an Englishman, and no more dare face us now 
than fly.” 

Brazier sighed. 

“ Oh, never mind, sir ! ” said Shaddy cheerily. “ Things 
might be worse than they are. We’re alive, and can find 
means to live. We don’t know but what we may get away 
all right after all. If I might give you my advice ” 

“ Give it, by all means,” said Brazier. 

“ Well then, sir, seeing that you came out to collect your 
flowers and plants, I should say, ‘ Go on collecting just as 
you did before, and wait in hopes of a boat coming along.’ ” 

“ But it might be years first.” 

“Very well, sir; wait years for it. You’d have made a 
fine collection by that time.” 

Brazier smiled sadly as he thought of his dried-up speci- 
mens. 

“ Me and Mr. Rob here will find plenty of some sort or 
another for the kitchen, so as you needn’t trouble about that. 
What do you say ? ” 

“ That you teach good philosophy, and I’ll take your ad- 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


2 55 

vice. Not much virtue in it, Rob,” he said, smiling, “for 
we cannot help ourselves. There, I will do as you suggest 
as soon as we have made a few more arrangements for our 
stay.” 

“ You leave them to us, sir,” said Shaddy. “ Mr. Rob and 
I are quite strong enough crew for the yob, and I saw some 
wonderful fine plants right at the edge of the forest yonder. 
I’d go and try for ’em now, sir.” 

“ Shaddy’s afraid that some one will come along and pick 
them first,” cried Rob, laughing. 

“ No fear, sir, unless it’s some big, saucy monkey doing it 
out of imitation and mischief. What do you say ? ” 

“ I say yes,” replied Brazier. “ It would be wrong to de- 
spair and foolish to neglect my chance now that I am thrown 
by accident among the natural history objects I came so many 
thousand miles to find.” 

As he spoke he moved off in the direction pointed out by 
their guide, while Shaddy chuckled directly they were alone. 

“ That’s the way, Mr. Rob,” he said ; “ give him something 
to think about and make him busy. ‘ A merry heart goes 
all the day ; a sad one tires in a mile a,” so the old song says. 
Mind, I don’t mean he’s merry, but he’ll be busy, and that’s 
next door to it. Now then, I’m ready. Let’s get the string 
on and bend our bow.” 


THE GRAND CHACO . 


25 r > 


CHAPTER XXIII. 

A SUDDEN ALARM. 

The silken string Rob had twisted was found to be quite 
dry, and pretty well kept its shape as it was formed into a 
loop and passed over the end nicked for its reception, and 
after bending secured with a couple of hitches over the other. 

“ Now, Mr. Rob, sir, try it, and send one of your arrows as 
far as you can. Never mind losing it; we can soon make 
plenty more. That’s the way ! steady ! Easy and well, sir ! 
Now then, off it goes ! ” 

Twang ! went the bow-string, and away flew the arrow high 
up toward the river, describing its curve and falling at last 
without the slightest splash into the water. 

“ Well done ! ” cried Shaddy, who had watched the flight 
of the arrow, shading his eyes with his hand. “ That’s 
good enough for anything. A little practice, and you’ll hit 
famously.” 

“ Oh, I don’t know, Shaddy.” 

“ Well, but I do, sir. If Indians can kill birds, beasts, and 
fish with their bows and arrows, surely a young Englishman 
can.” 

“ I shall try, Shaddy.” 

“ Of course you will, and try means win, and win means 
making ourselves comfortable till we are taken off.” 

“ Then you think we shall be some day ? ” 

“ Please God, my lad ! ” said Shaddy, calmly. “ Look ! 
Yonder goes Mr. Brazier. He’s forgetting his troubles in 
work, and that’s what we’ve got to do, eh ? ” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


*57 


Rob shook his head. 

“ Ah, you re thinking about poor young Jovanni, sir,’’ said 
Shaddy sadly, “ and you mustn’t. It won’t do him no good, 
nor you neither. Bring the bow and arrows along with us. 
I m going to try and get a bamboo to make a spear thing, with 
a bit of hard wood for a point, and it may be useful by-and- 
bye.” 

Rob took up the bow and arrows, but laid the larger part 
of his sheaf down again, contenting himself with half a dozen 
and following Shaddy along the edge of the forest to what 
looked like a clump of reeds, but which proved to be a fringe 
of bamboos fully fourteen feet high. 

Shaddy soon selected a couple of these suitable for his 
purpose, and had before long trimmed them down to spear 
shafts nine feet in length. 

There, sir,” he said, “ we’ll get a couple of heads fitted 
into these to-night. First thing is to get something else to 
eat, so let’s try for fruit or a bird. Now, if we could only 
come upon a deer ! ” 

“Not likely, as we want one,” responded Rob, who was 
looking round in search of Mr. Brazier, and now caught sight 
of him right at the far end of the clearing, evidently engaged 
in cutting down some of his favorite plants. 

“ Mr - Brazier is busy,” said Rob, “ but isn’t it a pity to let 
him waste time in getting what can never be wanted ? ” 

“How do we know that?” replied Shaddy. “Even if 
they’re not, I did it for the best.” 

“ But is it safe to leave him alone ? ” 

“ Safe as it is for us to go out here alone into the 
forest.” 

“ Are we going into the forest ? ” 

“ Must, my lad, a little way.” 

“ But are there likely to be any Indians about.” 

“ I should say not, Mr. Rob, so come along.” 

!7 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


258 

Shaddy led the way to where the clearing ceased and the 
dense growth of the primeval forest began, and after hesitat- 
ing a little and making a few observations as to the position 
of the sun — observations absolutely necessary if a traveller 
wished to find his way back — the guide plunged in amongst 
the dense growth, threading his way in through the trees, 
which grew more and more thickly for a short distance and 
then opened out a little, whereupon Shaddy halted and began 
to reconnoitre carefully, holding up his hand to enforce 
silence and at the end of a few minutes saying eagerly to 
Rob,— 

“ Here you are, my lad ! Now’s your chance. There’s nearly 
a dozen in that big tree to the right yonder, playing about 
among the branches, good big ones, too. Now you steal for- 
ward a bit, keeping under cover, then lay all your arrows 
down but one, take a good long aim, and let it go. Bring one 
down if you can.” 

“What birds are they?” whispered Rob. 

“ Who said anything about birds ? ” replied Shaddy, sourly ; 
“ I said monkeys.” 

“ No.” 

“ Well, I meant to, my lad. There : on you go.” 

“ Monkey — a little man,” said Rob, shaking his head. 
“ No, I couldn’t shoot one of them.” 

“ Here, give us hold of the bow and arrow, then, my lad,” 
cried the old sailor. “ ’Tisn’t a time for being nice. Better 
shoot a monkey and eat it, than for me and Mr. Brazier 
to have to kill and eat you.” 

Rob handed the newly made weapons, and Shaddy took 
them grumblingly. 

“Not the sort of tackle I’m used to,” he said. “ Bound 
to say I pould do far better, with a gun.’’ 

He fitted the notch of the arrow to the string and drew 
the bow a little as if to try it ; then moving off a few yards 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


259 

under cover of the trees, Rob was about to follow him, but 
he turned back directly. 

“ Don’t you come,” he said ; “ better let me try alone. 
Two of us might scare ’em.” 

But Shaddy did not have any occasion to go further, for 
all at once, as if in obedience to a signal, the party of monkeys 
in the forest a short distance before them came leaping from 
tree to tree till they were in the one beneath which the two 
travellers were waiting, stopped short, and began to stare 
down wonderingly at them, one largish fellow holding back 
the bough above his head in a singularly human way, while 
his face looked puzzled as well as annoyed. 

“ Like a young savage Indian more than an animal,” said 
Shaddy softly as he prepared to shoot. “ Now I wonder 
whether I can bring him down.” 

“ Don’t shoot at it, Shaddy ! ” said Rob, laying his hand 
upon his guide’s arm. 

“ Must, my lad. Can’t afford to be particular. There, 
don’t you look if you don’t like it ! Now then ! ” 

He raised the bow, and, after the fashion of our forefathers, 
drew the arrow right to the head, and was about to let it fly 
after a long and careful aim ; but being, as he had intimated 
not used, to that sort of tackle, he kept his forefinger over 
the reed arrow till he had drawn it to the head, when, just 
as he had taken aim and was about to launch it at the unfor- 
tunate monkey, the reed bent and snapped in two. 

Probably it was the sharp snap made by the arrow which 
took the monkey’s attention, for it suddenly set up a peculiarly 
loud chattering, which acted as a lead to its companions, for 
the most part hidden among the boughs, and it required very 
little stretch of the imagination to believe it to be a burst of 
derisive laughter at the contemptible nature of the weapons 
raised against their leader’s life. 

Oh, that’s the way you take it, is it my fine fellow ? ” 


26 o 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


cried Shaddy, shaking the bow at the monkey. “ Here, give 
us another arrow, Mr. Rob, sir; I’ll teach him to laugh better 
than that. I feel as if I can hit him now.” 

Rob made no attempt to hand the arrow, but Shaddy took 
one from him, fitted it to the string, raised it to the required 
height, and was about to draw the reed to its full length, but 
eased it back directly and let go to rub his head. 

“ See him now, Mr. Rob, sir ? ” 

“No,” said Rob, looking carefully upward among the 
branches, and, to his great satisfaction, not one of the curious 
little four-handed animals was visible. 

“ Right ! ” said Shaddy. “ He has saved his skin this time. 
Here, take the bow again. It may be a bird we see next.” 

“ Hadn’t we better go back to the river ? ” said Rob. 
“ Perhaps I should be able to shoot a duck if I saw one 
swimming about.” 

“Daresay you would, my lad,” said the old sailor, drily, 
“send the arrow right through one ; but what I say is, if the 
’gators want a duck killed they’d better kill it themselves.” 

“ I don’t understand you,” said Rob. 

“Understand, my lad? Why, suppose you shoot a duck, 
it will be on the water, won’t it? ” 

“ Of course ? ” 

“ Then how are you going to get it off ? 

“I forgot tiiat,” said Rob. “ Impossible, of course.” 

“ Come on, then, and don’t let’s waste time. We’ll keep 
along here and get some fruit, perhaps, and find birds at the 
same time.” 

Their journey through the forest was very short before 
they were startled by a sudden rush and bound through the 
undergrowth. So sudden was it that both stopped short 
listening, but the sound ceased in a few moments. 

“What’s that ? ” whispered Rob. 

“ Deer, I thought at first, my lad : but it could not have 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


261 


been, because a deer would have gone on racing through 
the forest, and one would have heard the sounds dying 
away, not end suddenly like those did. You see, there was 
a sudden rustle, and then it stopped, as if whatever it was 
had been started up by our coming and then settled down 
again to hide and watch us.” 

11 Indian ? ” whispered Rob uneasily. 

“ Na y> more like some great cat. Strikes me it was one 
of the spotted tigers, and a hardened arrow’s not much good 
against one of those beasts. I say, let’s strike off in the 
other direction, and try if we can find something there. Cats 
are awkward beasts to deal with even when they’re small. 
When it comes to one as strong as a horse, the best way to 
fight ’em is to get out of their way.” 

Shaddy took a few steps forward so as to be able to peer up 
through a green shaft among the trees to the sunshine and 
satisfy himself as to their position, and then led off again. 

“ Can’t be too particular, Mr. Rob, sir,” he said ; “ stitch 
in time saves nine. Bit of observation now may save us 
hours of walking and fighting our way through the tangle.” 

Rob noted his companion’s careful management, and that 
whenever they had to pass round a tree which stood right in 
their way Shaddy was very exact about starting afresh exactly 
straight, and after a time in making off again to their left, so 
as to hit the river near the clearing. But for some time they 
found nothing to take their attention. 

“ Anc * that’s the way of it,” said Shaddy in reply to an 
observation of Rob’s. “ You generally find what you are not 
looking for. Now, if we wanted plenty of fine hard-wood 
timber, here it is, and worth fortunes in London town, and 
worth nothing here. I’d give the lot, Mr. Rob, for one of our 
fine old Devonshire apple-trees, well loaded down with yellow- 
faced red-cheeked pippins though even then we’ve no' flour 
to make a dumpling.” 


262 


THE GRAND CHACO . 


“ And no saucepan to cook it in.” 

“ Oh, we could do without that, my lad. Worse things 
than baked dumplings.” 

“ Are we going right, Shaddy ? ” said Rob suddenly. 

The old sailor took an observation, as he called it, before 
he answered, so as to make sure. 

“ Yes,” he said thoughtfully, “ and if we keep straight on 
we shall hit the clearing. Strikes me that if we go pretty 
straight we shall come upon Mr. Brazier loaded down to sink- 
ing point with plants, and glad of a bit of help to carry ’em. 
Don’t you be down-hearted, sir ! This is a bit of experience ; 
and here we are, something at last.” 

As he spoke he pointedto a tree where the sun penetrated a 
little, and they could see that it was swarming with small birds 
evidently busy over the fruit it bore. Shaddy was pressing 
forward, but Rob caught his arm. 

“ What is it, lad ? ” 

“ Look ! ” whispered Rob. “ What’s that ? ” 

“ Eh ? Where ? See a tiger ? ” 

“ No, that horrible-looking thing walking along the branch. 
It has gone now.” 

“ Ugly monkey ? ” 

“Oh no,” whispered Rob, “a curious creature. Alliga- 
tors don’t climb trees, do they ? ” 

“ Never saw one,” said Shaddy. “ Might if they were 
taught, but it wouldn’t be a pleasant job to teach one. Well, 
where is it ? ” 

“ Gone,” whispered Rob. “ No ; there it is on that branch 
where it is so dark.” 

“ I see him,” said Shaddy in a subdued tone. “ Ought to 
have known. Now then, your bow and arrows ! That’s a 
skinful of good meat for us. You won’t mind shooting that ? ” 

“ No,” said Rob, quickly fitting an arrow to the string, “ I 
don’t mind shooting that. But not to eat, thank you.” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 263 

“ But you will not be so particular soon. That’s iguana, 
and as good as chicken. Ready ? ” 

Rob nodded. 

“ Keep behind the trees, then, and creep slowly forward 
till you are pretty close — I daresay you’ll be able to — and 
then aim at his shoulder, and send the arrow right through.” 

“ I will,” said Rob drily, “if I can.” 

“ Make up your mind to it, my lad. We want that sort of 
food.” 

“You may,” thought Rob as he began to stalk the curi- 
ous old-world, dragon-like beast, which was running about 
the boughs of a great tree in complete ignorance of the neigh- 
borhood of human beings, probably even of their exist- 
ence. 

The lad’s heart beat heavily as he crept from tree to tree 
in full want of faith as to his ability to draw a bow-string 
with effect ; for his experience only extended to watching 
ladies shooting at targets in an archery meeting ; and as he 
drew nearer, stepping very softly from shelter to shelter and 
then peering out to watch the reptile, he had an admirable 
opportunity for noting its shape and peculiarities, none of 
which created an appetite for trying its chicken-like flesh. 
He gazed at a formidable-looking animal with wide mouth, a 
hideous pouch beneath its jaw, and a ridge of sharp-looking, 
teeth-like spines along its back ending in a long, fine bony 
tail. These, with its fierce eye and scaly skin, and a habit 
of inflating itself, made it appear a formidable object, one 
which might turn and attack an aggressor. 

This struck Rob very strongly as he stopped at last, peer- 
ing round the bole of a huge tree. He was about thirty 
yards from the lizard now, and in a position which com- 
manded its side as it stood gazing straight before it at some 
object, bird or insect, in front. 

It was just the position for resting the bow-arm against 


264 THE GRAND CHACO. 

the tree for steadiness of aim, and feeling that he could do 
no better, but doubtful of his skill and quite as doubtful of 
the likelihood of the wooden arrow-head piercing the glisten- 
ing skin of the iguana, Rob took a careful aim as he drew 
his arrow to his ear in good old archer style, and let his mis- 
sile fly. 

Roughly made, unfeathered, and sent by a tyro, it was no 
wonder that it flew far wide of the mark, striking a bough 
away to the left and then dropping from twig to twig till it 
reached the undergrowth below. 

Where it struck was some distance from the lizard, and 
the sound and the falling of the reed gave it the idea that 
the danger point was there, so that it directed its attention 
in that quarter, stood very erect, and swelled itself out 
fiercely. 



correct his aim, and loosen the shaft after drawing it to the 
head. 


This one whizzed by the iguana, making it flinch slightly ; 
but treating it as if it had been a bird which had suddenly 


THE GRAND CHACO. 265 

flashed by, the lizard fixed its eyes on the spot where this 
second arrow struck. 

“ I shall never hit the thing,” thought Rob, as he fitted 
another arrow and corrected his aim still more, but this time 
too much, for the arrow flew off to the lizard’s right. 

“ Three arrows gone ! ” muttered the lad as he prepared 
for another try, took a long aim, and, to his great delight, 
saw the missile strike the bough just below where the iguana 
stood, but only for it to make a rush forward out of his sight. 

“But I should have hit it if I had only aimed a little 
higher,” he thought. 

The lizard being invisible, he was about to return to 
Shaddy, thinking of his companion’s disappointment, when, 
to his surprise, he suddenly saw the reptile reappear upon 
a lower branch, where it stood watchful and eager, and 
once more presenting a splendid opportunity for a skilled 
archer. 

“ It’s of no good,” thought Rob. “ I must practise every 
day at a mark,” and once more taking aim without exercis- 
ing much care, but more with an idea of satisfying his com- 
panion if he were watching his actions, than of hitting his 
mark, he drew the arrow quickly to the head, gave one glance 
along the slight reed at the iguana, the bow string twanged, 
and the next moment the reptile was gone. 

“ That settles it,” said Rob as he listened to the rustling 
of the leaves and twigs ; “ but I must have gone pretty near 
for it to have leaped off the bough in such a hurry. I’ll be 
bound to say poor old Joe would have made a better shot. 
Italian ! Genoese archers ! ” he continued thoughtfully. 
“No, they were crossbowmen. Poor old Joe, though ! Oh, 
how shocking it does seem for a bright handsome lad like 
he was to ” 

“ Here ! hi ! T’other way, my lad ! He dropped down 
like a stone.” 


266 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ No, no ; leaped like a deer off the branch. I saw 
him.” 

“ Well, so did I,” cried Shaddy, hurrying up. “ The ar- 
row went clean through him.” 

“ Nonsense ! ” 

“ Nonsense, sir ? What do you mean ? ” 

“ I did not go near him.” 

“ What ? Why, you shot him right through the shoulder. 
I haven’t got much to boast about except my eye, and I’ll 
back that against some people’s spyglasses. That iguana’s 
lying down there at the bottom of the tree dead as a last 
year’s butterfly, and I can put my foot right on the place. 
Come along.” 

Rob smiled, raised his eyebrows a little, and followed. 

“ Better let him convince himself,” he thought ; and as 
Shaddy forced back the low boughs and held them apart for 
his companion to follow, he went on talking. 

“ I knew you could do it by the way you handled your 
bow and arrow. Your eyes are as straight as mine is, and 
I watched you as you sent an arrow first one side and then 
another till you got the exact range, and then it was like 
kissing your hand: just a pull of the string, off goes the 
arrow, and down drops the lizard, and a fine one, too. Round 
that trunk, my lad ! There you are, and there he lies, just 
down in that tuft of grass.” 

“ Where ? ” said Rob banteringly. “ Why, Shaddy, I 
thought your eye was better than spyglasses.” 

Shaddy made a dash at the tuft of thick growth beneath 
the bough where the iguana had stood, searched about, and 
then rose and took off his cap to give his head a scratch. 

“ Well, I never ! ” he said in a tone full of disappointment 
“I was assure assure that you hit that thing right through.” 

He looked round about, and then all at once made a rush 
at a spot whence came a faint rustling ; and the next minute 


THE GRAND CHACO. 267 

he returned dragging the iguana by the tail, with the half of 
the arrow through its shoulder. 

“ Now then,” he cried, “ was I right, or was I wrong ? He 
made a big scramble to get away, and hid himself in that 
bush all but his tail. My word, Mr. Rob, sir, what a shot 
you will make ! ” 

“ Nonsense, Shaddy ! ” said the lad, looking down with 
a mingling of compunction and pride at his prize. 

“ Ah, you may call it nonsense, Mr. Rob. I calls it 
skill.” 

“ Why, it was a mere accident.” 

“ Hark at him ! ” cried Shaddy, looking round at the trees 
as if to call their attention to the lad’s words. “ Says it was 
an accident when I told him to aim straight at the thing’s 
shoulder, and there’s the arrow right through it from one side 
to the other, and the poor brute dead as dead.” 

“ But I hardly aimed at it, Shaddy,” protested Rob. 

“Of course you didn’t. A good shot just makes up his 
mind to hit a thing, and he hits it same as you did that lizard. 
Well, sir, that’s one trouble off my mind ; and I can say thank- 
fully we shan’t starve. There’ll be times when the river’s so 
flooded that we can’t fish, and then we might have come worst 
off ; but you can shoot us birds and beasts. Then we can 
find eggs, and lay traps, and search for fruit. Why, Mr. Rob, 
sir, we’re going to have our bread buttered on both sides, 
and we can keep Mr. Brazier going while he collects. It 
looked very black indeed, time back, but the sun’s shining in 
on us now. We shall be a bit like prisoners, but where are 
you going to find a more beautiful prison for people who want 
to study natural history ? Hooray ! look here, too — mush- 
rooms.” 

“ What, those great funguses ? ” 

“To be sure: they’re good eating. I know ’em, sir. 
Found ’em before, and learned to eat ’em of the Indians. 


268 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


Here, wait a moment ; let’s take enough of ’em for supper, 
and then get back to the kitchen and have a turn at cooking. 
That’s enough,” he continued, picking up from the moulder- 
ing stump of a huge decaying tree a great cluster of fungi ; 
“ those others ’ll do for another time.” 

“ I hope you will not be disappointed in my shooting next 
time,” said Rob, taking the cluster of mushroom growth and 
thrusting an arrow through it like a skewer. “ I have very 
little faith in it myself, Shaddy.” 

“ More likely to do good, and I believe in you all the 
more, Mr. Rob,” said the man, seizing the lizard, tying its 
legs together with a band of twisted twigs, and thrusting his 
bamboos through and swinging the prize over his shoulder. 
“ If you went puffing and blowing about and saying you was 
going to shoot this, and hit that, I should begin to wonder 
how ever we were to get our next dinner. Never you mind 
about feeling afraid for yourself. “ Modesty’s the best 
policy,” as the old saying goes, or something like it. Now 
then, best foot foremost ! Tread in my steps, and I think I 
can lead you straight for the head of the clearing, pretty 
close to home, sweet home. D’yer mind what I say?” he 
continued, with a queer smile. “ Think. I ain’t quite sure, 
my lad, but I’ll try.” 

Shaddy took a fresh observation, and then gave a satisfied 
nod of the head. 

“ Forrard ! ” he said ; and he made off as if full of con- 
fidence, while Rob followed behind, taking care of his mush- 
rooms and watching the nodding head of the iguana low 
down at Shaddy’s back in a curiously grim fashion, and 
thinking that it looked anything but attractive as an object 
for the cook’s art. 

They had been walking nearly an hour, very slowly — for 
it was difficult work to avoid the tangled growth which 
hemmed them in — when Shaddy, who had been chatting 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


269 

away pleasantly about the trees and their ill-luck in not find- 
ing more fruit out^in the forest, warning his companion, too, 
every now and then about ant-hills and thorns, suddenly ex- 
claimed, “Wonder what luck Mr. Brazier’s had?” and 
almost directly after as they entered an open place where 
orchids were growing, some of which had suggested the 
man’s last speech, he cried, “ Why, hullo ! Look here, Mr. 
Rob ; look here,” and as he pointed down at the dead leaves 
beneath their feet, Rob started back with a shudder of hor- 
ror, and looked wildly round for the cause of that which he 
saw. 


270 


THE GRAND CHACO . 


CHAPTER XXIV. 

A GAP IN THE RANKS. 

That which Shaddy pointed out was startling enough to 
cause Rob a shudder ; for, plainly seen upon a broad leaf, 
trampled down amongst others that were dead and dry, were 
a few spots of blood. 

But after the momentary feeling of dread caused by the 
discovery there came a reaction, and Rob exclaimed eagerly, 
“ Some wild beasts have been fighting ” ; and then as his 
companion shook his head, the boy uttered a forced laugh, 
and, to carry off the excitement, said : 

“ I know what it is, Shaddy : two monkeys coming home 
from school have had a fight, and one made the other’s nose 
bleed.” 

“ Wish I could laugh and joke about it like you do, squire,” 
said Shaddy sadly, as he peered about. “ It’s serious, my 
lad. Something very wrong, I’m afraid.” 

“Don’t say that, Shaddy,” cried Rob huskily. “I only 
tried to turn it off because I felt afraid and didn’t want 
to show it. Do you really think there’s something very 
serious ? ” 

“ I do, my lad.” 

“Not that Mr. Brazier has been here?” 

“That’s just what I do think, my lad ; and I feel as if it was 
my fault for sending him hunting and collecting by himself, 
instead of us waiting on him and watching him.” 

“ Shaddy, don’t say anything has happened to him ! ” cried 
Rob in horror. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


271 


“ 1 don ’t say as there is,” said Shaddy ; “ I don’t say as 
there ain t, my lad : but you see that,” he said, pointing down, 
“ and y°u know that Mr. Brazier’s a fine brave English gentle- 
man, but, like all the natural history people I ever see, so 
full of what he s doing that he forgets all about himself and 
runs into all kinds of danger.” 

“ But w kat kind of danger could he have run into here ? ” 
Don t know, my lad — don’t know. All I do know is that 
he has been here and got into trouble.” 

“ But you don’t know that he has been here,” cried Rob 
passionately. 

“ W hat’s this, then ? ” said Shaddy, holding out a piece of 
string, which he had picked up unnoticed by his companion. 
“ Mr - Brazier had got one of his pockets stuffed full of bits 
o’ spun yarn and band, like that as he used to tie up his 
plants, and it looks to me as if he’d dropped this.” 

“ But couldn’t Oh no, of course not — it’s impossible,” 

cried Rob ; “ no one else could have been here ? ” 

“ No, sir ; no one else could have been here.” 

“Yes, they could,” cried Rob excitedly : “ enemies ! ” 

Shaddy shook his head as he peered about, stooping and 
examining the trampled-down growth. 

“ Wish I could track like an Indian does, Mr. Rob, sir. 
He has been here sure enough, but I can’t make out which 
way he has gone. There’s our footmarks pressing down the 
twigs and moss and stuff ; and there’s his, I fancy.” 

“ And Indians ? ” 

“Can’t see none, sir; but that means nothing: they tread 
so softly with their bare feet that a dozen may have been 
here and gone, and we not know it.” 

“ Then you do think he has been attacked by Indians. 
Shaddy ? ” cried Rob reproachfully. 

“ Well, sir, I do, and I don’t. There’s no sign.” 

“ Then what could it have been, — a jaguar ? ” 


272 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ Maybe, Mr. Rob.” 

“ Or a puma ! ” 

“ Maybe that, sir ; or he may have come suddenly upon a 
deer as gave him a dig with its horns. Here, let’s get on 
back to camp as quickly as we can.” 

“ But he may not be there,” cried Rob excitedly, as he 
looked round among the densely packed trees. “ Let’s try 
and find some track by which he has gone.” 

“ That’s what I’ve been trying to do, and couldn’t find one, 
sir. If he’s been wounded, somehow he’d nat’rally make 
back for the hut, so as to find us and get help. Come 
along.” 

“Oh, Shaddy, we oughtn’t to have left him. We ought to 
have kept together.” 

“ No good to tell me that, Mr. Rob, sir; I feel it now, but 
I did it all for the best. There, sir, it’s of no use to stay 
here no longer. Come on, and we may hit upon his backward 
trail.” 

Rob gave another wild look round, and then joined Shaddy, 
who was carefully studying the position of the sun, where a 
gleam came through the dense foliage high above their heads, 
and lightened the deep green twilight. 

“ That’s about the course,” he muttered, as he gave the 
iguana a hitch over to his right shoulder. “ Now then, Mr. 
Rob, sir, let’s make a swift passage if we can, and hope for 
the best. Pah ! Look at the flies already after the meat. 
No keeping anything long here.” 

The remark struck Rob as being out of place at such a 
time, but he was fain to recall how he had made speeches 
quite as incongruous, so he followed his companion in silence, 
trusting to him implicitly, and wondering at the confidence 
with which he pressed on in one direction, with apparently 
nothing to guide him. In fact, all looked so strange and 
undisturbed that Rob at last could not contain himself. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


2 73 

“ Mr - Brazier cannot have been anywhere here, Shaddy,” 
he cried excitedly. “ Two wild beasts must have been 
fighting.” 

“ For that there bit o’ string, sir ? ” said- the man, drily. 
“ What do you call that, then, and that?” 

He pointed up to a bough about nine feet above him, where 
a cluster of orchids grew, for the most part of a sickly, pallid 
hue, save in one spot, where a shaft of sunlight came through 
the dense leafy canopy and dyed the strangely-formed petals 
of one bunch with orange, purple and gold, while the huge 
mossy tree trunk, half covered with parasitic creepers, whose 
stems knotted it with their huge cordage, showed traces of 
some one having climbed to reach the great horizontal bough. 

“ That looks like Mr. Brazier, his mark, sir, eh ? ” 

“Yes, yes,” cried Rob eagerly. 

“ Come on then, sir : we’re right.” 

“ But did he make those marks coming or returning ? ” 

“ Can’t say, sir,” said Shaddy, gruffly ; and then, to himself, 
“That ain’t true, for he made ’em coming, or I’m a Dutch- 
man.” 

He made another careful calculation of their position, and 
was about to start again, when he caught sight of something 
about Rob, or rather its absence, and exclaimed : — 

“ Why, where’s them mushrooms ? ” 

“ Mushrooms, Shaddy ! I — I don’t know.” 

“ But, Master Rob ! ” 

“ Oh, who’s to think about eating at a time like this ? Go 
on, pray ; I shall not feel happy till I see Mr. Brazier again.” 

Shaddy uttered a low grunt, gazed up at the shaft of light 
which shone upon the cluster of flowers, and then shifted 
the iguana again, and tramped on sturdily for about an hour, 
before there was a broad glare of light before them, and he 
suddenly stepped out from the greenish twilight into sum 
shine and day. 


18 


274 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ Not so bad, Mr. Rob, sir, without a compass ! ” he said, 
with a smile of triumph. 

But Rob, as he stepped out, was already looking round for 
their fellow-prisoner in the forest, but looking in vain. There 
was no sign of human being in the solitude ; and a chilly 
feeling of despair ran through the lad as he forgot his 
weariness and made a move for the hut, about a hundred 
yards away. 

It was hard work to get through the low tangled growth 
out there in the sunlight ; and before he was half-way there 
he stumbled and nearly fell, but gathered himself up with a 
faint cry of fear, for there was a low growl and a rush, as 
something bounded out, and he just caught a glimpse of the 
long lithe tawny body of a puma as it sprang into a fresh 
tangle of bush and reed, while Rob stood fast, and then 
turned to look at Shaddy. 

The man’s face was wrinkled up, and for the moment he 
evidently shared the boy’s thoughts. Stepping close to him, 
he began to peer about amongst the thick growth from which 
the animal had sprung, while Rob felt sick as his imagination 
figured in the puma’s lair the torn and bleeding body of his 
friend ; and as Shaddy suddenly exclaimed, “ Here’s the 
place, sir ! ” he dared not look, but stood with averted eyes, 
till the man exclaimed : 

“ Had his nest here, sir, and he was asleep. Bah ! I ought 
to have known. I never heard of a puma meddling with a 
man.” 

“ Then Mr. Brazier is not there ? ” said Rob faintly. 

“ Why, of course he ain’t,” replied the man sourly. “ Come 
along, sir, and let’s see if he’s in the hut.” 

They rushed to their newly thatched-in shelter, and Rob 
seized the side and peered in, where all was black darkness 
to him, coming as he did from the brilliant sunshine. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


275 

Mr. Brazier,” he cried huskily ; but there was no reply. 

Mr. Brazier, he shouted, “why don’t you answer?” 

“’Cause he ain’t there, my lad,” said Shaddy gruffly. 
“ Here, wait till I’ve doctored this iguana thing and hung 
him up. No, I’ll cover him with grass here in the cool, 
and then we must make back tracks and find him before 
night.” 

“ Oh, Shaddy ! ” cried Rob in an anguished tone, “ then 
he has been horribly hurt — perhaps killed ! ” 

d he man made no reply, but hurriedly cut open and cleaned 
the lizard at some distance from the hut, then buried it 
beneath quite a pile of grass, dead leaves and twigs, before 
stepping back to his companion in misfortune. 

“ Oh, why did you stop to do that,” cried Rob, “ when Mr. 
Brazier may be lying dying somewhere in the forest ? ” 

“ Because when we find him, we must have food to eat, 
lad, and something for him too. That thing may save all 
our lives. Don’t you think I don’t want to get to him, be- 
cause I do. Now then, sir, we’ve got to go straight back the 
way we came, and find him.” 

“You’ll go right back to where the spots— I mean, where 
we found the piece of string ? ” whispered Rob, whose feeling 
of weariness seemed to disappear at once. 

“ Yes, sir, straight back as an arrow, and it’s of no use to 
hide facts ; you must take your place as a man now, and 
act like one, having the hard with the soft, so I shall speak 
plainly.” 

“ You need not, Shaddy,” said Rob sadly. “ You are 

afraid he has been badly hurt and carried off by Indians 

perhaps killed.” 

“Nay, my lad; that’s making worse of it than I thought. 
My ideas was bad enough, but not so bad as yours, and I 
think mine’s right.” 

“ Then what do you think ? ” said Rob, as after a sharp 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


276 

glance round they made for the spot where they had re- 
entered the clearing from the forest. 

“ Tell you what I don't think first, my lad,” replied Shaddy : 
“ I don’t think it’s Indians, because I haven’t seen a sign 
of ’em, and if I had I fancy they’d be peaceable, stupid 
sort of folk. No : he’s got into trouble with some beast or 
another.” 

“ Killed ? ” 

“ Nay, nay ; that’s the very worst of all. There’s hundreds 
of ways in which he might be hurt ; and what I think is, 
that he has started to come back, and turned faint and laid 
down, and perhaps gone to sleep, so that we passed him ; or 
perhaps he has lost his way.” 

“ Lost his way ? ” cried Rob, with a shiver of dread. 

“ Yes, my lad. It’s of no use to hide facts now.” 

“ Then we shall never find him again,” and he will wander 
about till he lies down and dies.” 

“ Ah ! now you’re making the worst of it again, sir. He 
might find the way out again by himself, but we’ve got to 
help him. Maybe we shall be able to follow his tracks ; you 
and me has got to try that : an Indian or a dog would do 
it easily. Well, you and me ought to have more stuff in us 
than Indians or dogs, and if we make up our minds to do it, 
why, we shall. So, come along, and let’s see if we can’t 
muster up plenty of British pluck, say a bit of a prayer 
like men, and with God’s help we’ll find him before we’ve 
done.” 

He held out his hand to Rob, who made a snatch at it and 
caught it between his, to cling to it tightly as he gazed in the 
rough, sun-blackened face before him, too much oppressed 
by emotions to utter a word. 

But words were not needed in the solemn silence of that 
grand forest. Their prayer for help rose in the midst of 
Nature’s grandest cathedral, with its arching roof of boughs, 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


277 

through which in one spot came a ray of brilliant light, which 
seemed to penetrate to Rob’s heart and lighten him with 
hope ; and then once more they swung round and plunged 
into the forest depths. 


278 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


CHAPTER XXV. 

THE WOODLAND FOES. 

They took the same path without much difficulty, Shaddy 
tracing it carefully step by step ; and for a time Rob eagerly 
joined in the tracing, every now and then pointing out a place 
where they had broken a twig or displaced a bough ; but after 
a time the gloom of the forest began to oppress him, and a 
strange sensation of shrinking from penetrating farther forced 
him to make a call upon himself and think of the words 
uttered before they recommenced their search. 

For there was always the feeling upon him that at any 
moment danger might be lurking thus in their way, and that 
the next moment they might be face to face with death. 

“ But that’s all selfishness,” he forced himself to think. “ We 
have to find Mr. Brazier.” 

This fresh loss to a certain extent obliterated the other 
trouble, and there were times when poor Giovanni was com- 
pletely forgotten, though at others Rob found himself mutter- 
ing,— 

“Poor Joe ! and now poor Mr. Brazier ! Whose turn will 
it be next ? And those at home will never know of our 
fate.” 

But it generally happened that at these most depressing 
times something happened to make a fresh call upon his 
energies. Now it would be a fault in the tracking, their way 
seeming to be quite obliterated. Now Shaddy would point 
out marks certainly not made by them ; for flowers of the dull 
colorless kind, which flourished §0 sickly here in these 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


2 79 


shades, had been broken off, as if to examine, and then thrown 
aside : convincing proofs that Brazier had been botanizing 
there, collecting, and casting away objects unworthy of his 
care. 

At one spot, unnoticed on their return, quite a bunch of 
curious growths lay at the foot of a huge buttressed tree, where 
there were indications of some one having lain down for a 
time as if to rest. Farther on, at the side of a tree, also un- 
noticed before, a great liana had been torn away from a tree 
trunk, so that it looked as if it had been done by one who 
climbed ; and Shaddy said, with a satisfied smile, — 

“ He’s been along here, Mr. Rob, sure enough. Keep a 
good heart, sir ; we’re getting cleverer at tracking.” 

On they went in silence, forcing their way between the trees, 
with the forest appearing darker than ever, save here and 
there, where, so sure as a little light penetrated, with it came 
sound. Now it was the hum of insect life in the sunshine far 
above their heads ; now it was the shrieking or twittering of 
birds busy feasting on fruit, and twice over an angry chatter- 
ing told them that they had monkeys for their companions 
high overhead ; but insect, bird, and the strangely agile crea- 
tures which leaped and swung among the boughs were for 
the most part invisible, and they toiled on. 

All at once Rob raised the bow he carried, and touched 
Shaddy sharply on the shoulder. 

“ Eh ? what’s the matter, my lad ? ” cried the man, turning 
quickly. 

“ Look ! Don’t you see ? ” whispered Rob. “ There, by 
that patch of green light? Some one must have climbed 
up that green liana which hangs from the bough. It is 
swinging still. Do you think a monkey has just been up 
it, or is it some kind of wild cat ? ” 

Shaddy uttered his low chuckling laugh as he stood still, 
leaning upon his bamboo staves. 


28 o 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ If it had been a cat we should have seen a desperate fight, 
my lad, ” he replied. “ If it was a monkey I’m sorry for him. 
He must have gone up outside and come down in. Why, can’t 
you see what it is ? ” 

“ A great liana, one of those tough creeper things. Look 
how curiously it moves still ! Some one’s dragging at the 
end. No, it isn’t. Oh, Shaddy, it’s a great serpent hanging 
from the bough ! ” 

“ That’s more like it, my lad. Look! You can see its 
head now.” 

In effect the long, hideous-looking creature raised its head 
from where it had been hidden by the growth below, twisted 
and undulated about for a few moments, and then lifted it 
more and more till it could reach the lower part of the bough 
from which it hung, and then, gradually contracting its body 
into curves and loops, gathered itself together till it hung in 
a mass from the branch. 

“ Not nice-looking things, Mr. Rob, sir. Puts me in mind 
of those we saw down by the water, but this looks like a dif- 
ferent kind to them.” 

“ Will — will it attack us ? ” said Rob in a hoarse whisper. 

“ Nay, not it. More likely to hurry away and hide unless it 
is very hungry or can’t get out of the road. Then it might.” 

“ But we can’t pass under that.” 

“ Well, no, Mr. Rob, sir ; it don’t look like a sensible sort 
of think to do, though it seems cowardly to sneak away from 
a big land-eel sort of a thing. What do you say ? Shall we 
risk it and let go at my gentleman with our sticks if he takes 
any notice of us, or go round like cowards ? ” 

“ Go round like cowards,” said Rob decisively. 

“ Right ! ” said Shaddy, who carefully took his bearings 
again, and, in order to have something at which he could gaze 
back so as to start again in the direction by which they had 
come, he broke a bough short off with a loud crack. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


281 


The effect was instantaneous on the serpent. 

The moment before the whole body had hung in heavy loops 
from the bough, but at the first snap every part of it appeared 
to be in motion, and, as dimly seen, one fold glided slowly 
over another, with a curious rustling sound. 

Rob made a start as if to dash off, but checked himself, 
and glanced at Shaddy, who was watching him ; and the boy 
felt the color flush into his cheeks, and a curious sense of 
annoyance came over him at the thought that his companion 
was looking upon him as a coward. 

“ It’s all right, my lad,” said the guide quietly ; “ you 
needn’t mind me. You’re a bit scared, and naturally. Who 
wouldn’t be if he wasn’t used to these things ? I was horri- 
bly afraid of the one I first saw, and, for the matter of that, 
so I was about the next ; but I’ve seen so many big snakes 
that, so long as I can keep at a little distance, they don’t 
trouble me much. You see, they’re not very dangerous to 
man, and always get out of his way if they have a chance. 
There’s been a lot said about their ’tacking folk ; and if you 
were to rouse that gentleman I daresay he’d seize you, and, 
if he got a hold for his tail, twist round and squeeze you to 
death ; but you leave him alone and give him anything of a 
chance, he’ll show you the tip of his tail much sooner than 
he’ll show you his head. Look here ! ” 

Shaddy looked round and picked up a short piece of a 
branch, which he was about to throw, but the boy caught 
his arm. 

“Don’t make it angry,” he said in a whisper. “The hor- 
rible thing may come at us.” 

“ I’m not going to make it angry,” said Shaddy; “I’m 
going to make it afraid,” and he hurled the piece of moulder- 
ing wood with so good an aim that it struck the branch near 
where the serpent was coiling itself more closely and flew to 
pieces. 


282 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


The result was instantaneous. 

The serpent threw itself down with a crashing sound 
amongst the dense undergrowth and disappeared. 

“ There,” said Shaddy, “ that’s the way, you see. Gone ? ” 

“ No, no. Look out, Shaddy ; it’s coming this way,” cried 
Rob excitedly, as a rustling was heard, and directly after there 
was a low hiss ; and the movement among the twigs and dried 
leaves told that the creature was coming toward them. 

Whether it was coming straight for where they stood neither 
of them stopped to see, but hurried off onward in the direction 
of the spot where they had seen the marks upon the leaf, and 
in a very short time the forest was silent again. 

“ Was not that a very narrow escape, Shaddy ? ” said Rob 
at last. 

“ No, my lad, I think not. Some people would say it was 
and be ready to tell no end of cock-and-bull stories about 
what that serpent was going to do ; but I’ve never known 
them play any games except once, and then the creature only 
acted according to its nature. It was in a sort of lake place, 
half pool, half river, and pretty close to the sea. It was near 
a gentleman’s plantation, and the black folk used to go down 
every day to bathe. This they did pretty regularly till one 
day while they were romping about in the shallow water 
which only came up to their middles, one of them shouted for 
help, saying that a ’gator had got hold of her, and then laughed. 
The others took no notice, because it was a ’sterical sort of 
laugh, as they call it, and thought she was playing tricks ; 
but all at once they saw that she was struggling hard and 
being drawn backwards. That was enough. They all made 
a rush and caught hold of her arms just as she was being slowly 
drawn down lower, and when they dragged her nearer the 
shore, whatever it was gave way, though it still held on to the 
poor girl ; while as they got her nearer a shriek rose, and every 
one nearly let go, for the head of a big snake was drawn right 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


283 

out of the water, and at the next snatch gave way and dropped 
back with a splash.” 

They were by this time approaching the spot where they 
had seen the marks, and Shaddy advanced more cautiously, 
scanning every leaf and twig before he stepped forward for 
signs of him they sought. Here and there he was able to 
point out marks such as Mr. Brazier might have made, marks 
that had been passed over during their journey in the other 
direction. For there were places where he had evidently torn 
down leaves, mosses, and curious shade-loving growths, some 
of which he had carelessly tossed aside, and in one case the 
fragment thrown down was about half of the bulb of an orchid 
whose home had been upon the mossy limb of a great tree 
overhead. 

“ He has been by here, sure enough, Mr. Rob,” said Shaddy 
in a subdued voice ; “ and, between ourselves, it was quite a 
bit of madness for him to come right out here alone. Now 
then, sir, keep a sharp look-out, and let’s see if we can’t find 
the spots straight off. They were pretty nigh, I think.” 

“Just there, I think,” said Rob, looking excitedly round 
and pointing to a darker patch of the great forest where they 
were. 

“ Nay, it wasn’t dark like that, my lad,” replied Shaddy. 
“ It was more hereabouts.” 

“ Are you sure, Shaddy ? ” 

“ Pretty tidy, sir. No, I’m not. Seems to me that you are 
right, and yet it was this side of that great tree. I remember 
it now, the one with the great branch hanging right to the 
ground.” 

“ I don’t remember it, Shaddy,” said Rob. 

“ But I do, sir. It had a bunch of those greeny-white, 
sickly-looking plants growing underneath it, and we shall 
know it by them.” 

“ Then it isn’t the right one, Shaddy ; we must try again,” 


284 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ But it is the right one, my lad. It’s bad enough work to 
find a tree in this great dark place. Don’t say it isn’t right 
when I’ve found it. Come now, look. Ain’t I right ? ” 

“ Yes, Shaddy, right,” said Rob, as he looked up and saw 
the faded orchids hanging beneath the branch. “ Then the 
place is close here somewhere.” 

“ You’re almost standing upon it, Mr. Rob,” said Shaddy. 
“You see, I have hit the spot,” he continued, with a look of 
triumph. “ There, I will not be proud of it, for it comes very 
easy to find your way like this after a bit of practice. There 
you are, you see ; so now where to go next ? ” 

“ I don’t know,” cried Rob despondently. “ Can’t you see 
any fresh traces for us to follow ? ” 

Shaddy set off, with his face as near to the ground as he 
could manage, and searched all round the spot where the 
stained leaf lay, but without effect ; and after a few moments’ 
examination he started off again, making a wider circle, but 
with no better effect. 

“ Can’t have been anything to do with a wild beast, my 
lad,” he said in a low, awe-stricken voice, “ or some signs 
must have been left. It’s a puzzler. He was here — there’s 
no doubt about that — and we’ve got to find him. I’ll make 
a bigger cast round, and see what that will do.” 

“ Can you find your way back here ? ” asked Rob anx- 
iously. 

“ I must,” replied Shaddy, with quiet confidence in his 
tones. “ It won’t do to lose you as well.” 

He started again, walking straight on for a couple of 
hundred yards through the trees and then striking off to his 
left to form a fresh circle right outside the first, and at the 
end of five minutes Rob, who stood by the great tree listen- 
ing for every sound and wondering whether his companion 
would find his way back, and if he did not what he would do, 
heard a cry. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


285 

For the moment he thought it was for help, but it was re- 
peated, and realizing that it was an animal’s, he started for- 
ward in the direction of the sound, but only to halt the mo- 
ment after in alarm and look back. But at the end of a 
few seconds he set it down to fancy and went on again, but 
only to stop, for there was a rustling sound behind him ; and 
he awoke at once to the fact that the noise could only have 
been made by some wild beast stealing softly after him, stalk- 
ing him, in fact, and preparing to make a spring and bring 
him down. 

Rob felt the perspiration ooze out of every pore as he 
stood looking back in the direction of the sound, which 
ceased as soon as he halted. He would have given anything 
to have held a gun in his hands and been able to discharge 
it amongst the low growth where the animal was hidden, but 
he was as good as helpless with only the bow and an arrow 
or two ; and he stood waiting till he started, for he heard 
Shaddy’s cry again, and in a fit of desperation he shouted 
aloud in answer, and sprang forward to try and reach his side. 

But as he made his way onward there again was the soft 
stealing along of his pursuer, whatever it was, for though he 
tried hard to pierce the low growth, the gloom was so deep 
that he never once obtained a glimpse of the animal. 

Again Shaddy shouted, and he answered, the cry sourcing 
not a hundred yards away; and id the hope that their voices 
might have the power of scaring, the enemy, he shouted 
again, and was answered loudly and far nearer, making him 
give a rush forward in his desperation, and following it up 
with a gasp of agony, for there was a fierce roar through the 
forest on his left. 

It seemed as if the animal, in dread of losing him by his 
forming a junction with his friend, had bounded on to get 
between them and crouch ready to spring upon him ; but 
Rob could not hold back now, and pressed forward. 


286 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ Shaddy,” he shouted — “ Shaddy, there is some wild beast 
close here.” 

“ Wait a bit, my lad,” was shouted back ; and the crushing 
and rustling of boughs told of Shaddy ’s coming, while Rob 
faced round now, staring wildly at a dark part among the 
trees where he thought he saw the undergrowth move and 
not daring to stir now, from the feeling that if he did turn 
his back the beast would spring upon him and bring him 
down. 

Thought after thought flashed like lightning through his 
breast, and in imagination he saw himself seized and bleed- 
ing, just as Mr. Brazier must have been, for he felt sure now 
that this had been his fate. 

It was a nightmare-like sensation which paralyzed him, so 
that, though he heard Shaddy approaching and then calling 
to him, he could neither move nor answer, only stand crouch- 
ing there by a huge tree, with the bow held before him and 
an arrow fitted ready to fly, fascinated by the danger in 
front. 

He could not see it, but there was no doubt of its pres- 
ence, and that it was hiding, crouched, ready to bound out, 
every movement suggesting that it was some huge cat-like 
creature, in all probability a jaguar, nearly as fierce and 
strong as a tiger. For at every rustle and crash through the 
wood made by Shaddy, there was a low muttering growl and 
a sound as if the creature’s legs were scratching and being 
gathered together for a spring. 

Rob felt this, and stood motionless, thinking that his only 
chance of safety lay in gazing straight at the creature’s 
hiding-place, and believing that as long as he remained 
motionless the animal would not spring. 

“Hi! where are you, my lad ?” said Shaddy, from close 
at hand ; but Rob’s lips uttered no sound. He felt a slight 
exhilaration at the proximity of his companion, but he could 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


287 

not say, “ Here ! ” and the next minute Shaddy spoke again, 
depressing the lad’s spirits now, for the voice came from 
farther away. Again he shouted, “ Hi ! why don’t you 
answer ? Where are you, lad ? ” but Rob heard the earth 
being torn up by the fierce animal’s claws, and now even 
heard its breathing, and his voice died away again as a 
choking sensation attacked his throat. 

And there he crouched, hearing the help for which he had 
called come close to him, pass him, and go right away till 
Shaddy’s anxious cries died out in the solemn distance of 
the forest, leaving him alone to face death in one of its most 
terrible forms. 

He knew he could launch the arrow at the beast, and that 
at such close quarters he ought to, and probably would, hit 
it, but a frail reed arrow was not likely to do more than spur 
the creature into fierce anger. 

He could see it all in advance. A jaguar was only a huge 
cat, and he would be like a rat in its claws, quite as helpless ; 
and he shuddered and felt faint for a few moments. But 
now that he was entirely alone, far from help, and self- 
dependent, a change came over him. He knew that he must 
fight for life ; he felt as if he could defend himself ; arjd, 
with his nerve returning, his lips parted to utter a shout. 

But he did not cry, for he knew that Shaddy was too far 
off to hear him, and with a feeling of desperation now as he 
recalled that he had his keen knife in his pocket, he loosened 
his hold of his arrow and thrust in his hand to withdraw 
the weapon, seized the blade in his teeth, and dragged it 
open. 

“He shall not kill me for .nothing,” he thought, and he 
stood on his guard, for his movements excited the animal to 
action, and with a roar and a rush it sprang right out from 
the undergrowth to within three yards of him, but, instead 
of crouching and springing again, it stood up before him, 


288 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


with its back slightly arched, lashing its sides gently with its 
long tail. 

It was no spotted jaguar, with teeth bared, but, as dimly 
seen there in the semi-darkness of the forest, a noble-look- 
ing specimen of the puma family, and, to Rob’s astonish- 
ment, it made no sign of menace, but remained in the spot 
to which it had sprung, watching him. 

And here for quite a minute they stood face to face, till, 
with a faint cry of wonder, the lad exclaimed, — 

“ Why, it must be my puma ! And it has followed us all 
along by the banks to here.” 

Then came thought after thought, suggesting that it must 
have been the footprints of this beast wdiich they had seen 
over and over again by the side of their fire ; that it was 
this animal which had crept to him when he was asleep ; 
that it kept in hiding when he was with his companions, but 
that it had been tracking him till he was alone, and that 
after all he had nothing to fear. 

But still he was afraid and uncertain, so that some time 
elapsed during which the puma stood writhing its tail, watch- 
ing him before he could summon up courage enough to take 
a step forward. 

He made that step at last, knowing that if he were mis- 
taken the animal would at once draw back and make for a 
spring ; but, instead of moving, the puma raised its tail erect, 
making the three or four inches at the end twine a little, and 
the next minute Rob was talking to it softly, with his hand 
upon its head, when the animal began to give forth a 
curious sound somewhat resembling a purr and pressed up 
against him. 

“ Poor old chap, then ! ” cried Rob ; “ and I was fright- 
ened of you, when all you wanted to do was to make friends. 
Why, you are a fine fellow, then.” 

His words were accompanied by caresses, and more, were 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


289 

evidently approved of, -the puma crouching down and finally 
lying on its side, while Rob knelt beside it and found that 
he might make free with it to any extent. 

Then, suddenly recollecting how Shaddy was hunting for 
him and their object, he sprang to his feet, and placing his 
hands to his mouth, sent forth as loud a shout as he could 
give. 

As he sprang up the puma also leaped to its feet watching 
him in a startled way. 

Rob shouted again, and as a reply came from not far dis- 
tant a low growl arose from the animal by his side. 

But he shouted again, and an answer came from much 
nearer, when with one bound the animal sprang out of sight 
amongst the trees’ and though Rob called to it again and 
again in the intervals of answering Shaddy’s cries, there was 
not a sound to suggest the creature’s presence. 

“ It’s afraid of Shaddy,” Rob concluded, and feeling 
bound to continue his signals, he kept on till his companion 
joined him. 

“Why, my lad,” cried the latter, “I thought I’d lost you 
too,” and as soon as Rob had explained the reason for his 
silence, “ Enough to make you, lad. But that’s right enough. 
He’s took a fancy to you. Only hope he won’t show fight 
at me, because if he does I shall have to hit hard for the 
sake of Shadrach Naylor, but if he’s for giving the friendly 
hand, why so am I. But come along ; we mustn’t be belated 
here. I’ve found fresh signs of Mr. Brazier while I was 
hunting you.” 

“You have?” cried Rob joyfully, 

“Yes, my lad, not much ; but I came upon a spot where 
he had been breaking down green stuff.” 

“Since he — met with that accident?” said Rob hesitat- 
ingly. 

“ Ah, that’s what I can’t saj', Mr. Rob, sir. Let’s get to 
*9 


290 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


it, and try and follow up his trail. No ; we can’t do it to- 
day. We must get back to the hut to-night, and all we can 
do is to take the spot I came to on the way. We shall only 
get there before dark as it is.” 

“Oh, but we can’t leave him alone in the forest — perhaps 
wounded and unable to find his way out.” 

“But we must, my lad,” said the guide firmly. “We can 
do him no more good by sleeping here than by sleeping there 
under cover. 

“ Who can think of sleeping, Shaddy, at a time like this ? ” 

“ Natur’ says we must sleep, Mr. Rob, and eat too, or we 
shall soon break down. Come along, my lad, there’s always 
the hope that we may find him back at camp after all.” 

“ But he must be wanting our help, Shaddy,” said Rob 
sadly. 

“ Yes, my lad, and if he can, camp’s the place where he’ll 
go to look for it, isn’t it ? ” 

“Yes, of course.” 

“ Then we ought to be there to-night in case he comes to 
it. So now then let’s start at once. Sun goes down pretty 
soon, and I’ve got to take you by a round to where he broke 
down those flowers. Ready ? ” 

“ Yes,” said Rob sadly ; and they made a fresh start. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


291 


CHAPTER XXVI. 

IN PAINFUL QUEST. 

At the end of a few minutes Shaddy turned his head and 
spoke over his shoulder. 

“ Hear anything of your puss/ Mr. Rob ? ” 

“ I have fancied I heard him twice.” 

“ Then he’s after us, safe — depend upon it. These sort 
of things go along on velvet, and can get under the trees and 
branches for hours without your knowing anything about their 
being so near. Let’s be friends with him, my lad. We’re 
lonely enough out here, and he’ll get his own living, you may 
depend upon that.” 

Shaddy pressed on as rapidly as he could, for the evening 
was drawing nigh, and, as he said, it would be black night in 
there directly the sun went down ; but it was a long way, and 
Rob was growing weary of seeing his companion keep on 
halting in doubt, before, with a look of triumph, he stopped 
short and pointed to a broken-down creeper, a kind of pas- 
sion flower, which had been dragged at till a mass of leafage 
and flower had been drawn down from high up in the tree it 
climbed, to lie in a heap. 

“ There you are, Mr. Rob, sir.” 

“ No, no, Shaddy ; that might have been dragged down by 
a puma or jaguar,” said Rob sadly. 

“ Then he must have carried a good sharp knife in his 
pocket, my lad,” replied the old hunter. “Look at this;” 

He held up the end of the stem for Rob to see that it had 
been divided by one clean chop with a big knife. 


292 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ Yes, of course. He must have been here/’ cried Rob 
joyfully. “ Now then, we must find his trail and follow it 
on.” 

“ We must make straight for camp, Mr. Rob, sir,” replied 
Shaddy, “ hoping to find him there, for in less than an hour's 
time we shall have to feel our way.” 

“ Oh Shaddy ! ” 

“ Must sir, and you know it. We must try all we know to 
get back, and I tell you it’s as much as I can do to find the 
way there. I’m sure I can’t follow Mr. Brazier’s trail.” 

Rob looked at him sternly. 

“ Fact, sir. You know I’m doing my best.” 

“ Yes,” said Rob, reproachfully in his tones : but he could 
not help feeling that he was a little unjust, as he tramped 
steadily on behind his companion, who was very silent for 
some time, working hard to make his way as near as possible 
along the track by which they had come. 

Rob was just thinking that from the tone of the gloom 
around him the sun must be very low, when Shaddy turned 
his head for a moment. 

“ Don’t think you could find your way, do you, Mr. 
Rob ? ” 

“ I’m sure I couldn’t,” was the reply. 

“ So am I, my lad.” 

“ But you have it all. right? ” 

“ Sometimes, my lad ; and sometimes I keep on losing it, 
and have to make a bit of a cast about to pick it up again. 
We’re going right, my lad, so don’t be down-hearted. Let’s 
hope Mr. Brazier is precious anxious and hungry, waiting for 
us to come to him.” 

" I hope so, Shaddy.” 

“ But you don’t think so, my lad.” 

Rob shook his head. 

“ Heard your cat, sir ? ” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


293 


“ No.” 

“ More have I. Scared of me, I suppose. Recklects first 
meeting.” 

They went on again in silence, with the gloom deepening ; 
but the forest was a little more open, and all at once Shaddy 
stopped short, and holding one hand behind him signed to 
Rob to come close up. 

“ Look ! ” he whispered ; “ just over my shoulder, lad. I’d 
say try your bow and arrow, only weve got plenty of food in 
camp, and had better leave it for next time.” 

“ What is it, Shaddy ? I can’t 3ee. Yes, I can. Why it’s 
a deer. Watching us too.” 

The graceful little creature was evidently startled at the 
sight of human beings, and stood at gaze ready to spring 
away at the slightest motion on their part. The next instant 
there was a sudden movement just before them, as a shadow 
seemed to dart out from their right ; and as the deer made a 
frantic bound it was struck down, for a puma had alighted 
upon its back, and the two animals lay before them motion- 
less, the puma’s teeth fast in the deer’s neck, and the former 
animal so flattened down that it looked as if it were one 
with the unfortunate creature it had made its prey, and 
whose death appeared to have been almost instantaneous. 

“ Why, it must be my puma ! ” cried Rob. 

“ That’s so, my lad, for sartain,” replied Shaddy. “ Now, 
if we could get part, say the hind-quarter of that deer, for 
our share, it would be worth having. What do you say ? ” 

Rob said nothing, and Shaddy approached ; but a low, 
ominous growling arose, and the great cat’s tail writhed and 
twined about in the air. 

“ He’ll be at me if I go any nearer,” said Shaddy. “What 
do you say to trying, Mr. Rob, sir ? ” 

“ I don’t think I would,” said the lad ; and he stepped 
forward, with the result that the puma’s tone changed to a 


294 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


peculiar whining, remonstrant growl, as it shifted itself off 
the dead deer, but kept its teeth buried in its neck, and 
began to back away, dragging the body toward the spot from 
which it had made its bound. 

“ Let it be, Mr. Rob, sir. The thing’s sure to be savage 
if you meddle with its food. We can do without it, and 
there’s no time to spare. Come along.” 

There was a fierce growl as Shaddy went on, and Rob 
followed him ; but on looking back he saw that the puma 
was following, dragging the little deer, and after a few steps 
it took a fresh hold, flung it over its back, followed them for 
a few minutes, and then disappeared. 

They had enough to do to find their way now, for darkness 
was coming on fast, and before long Shaddy stopped short. 

“ It’s of no use, my lad,” he said. “ I’m very sorry, but 
we’ve drove it too late. The more we try the farther we 
shall get in the wood.” 

“ What do you mean to do, then ? ” said Rob, wearily. 

“ Light a fire, and get some boughs together for a bed.” 

“Oh, Shaddy, don’t you think we might reach camp if we 
went on ? ” cried Rob, despairingly. 

“ Well, we’ll try, Mr. Rob, sir ; but I’m afraid not. Now, 
if your friend there would be a good comrade and bring in 
our supper, we could roast it, and be all right here, but he 
won’t, so we’ll try to get along. We shall be no worse off 
farther on, only we may be cutting ourselves out more work 
when it’s day. Shall we try ? ” 

“ Yes, try,” said Rob ; and he now took the lead, on the 
chance of finding the way. A quarter of an hour later, just 
as he was about to turn and give up, ready for lighting a fire 
to cook nothing, but only too glad of the chance of throwing 
himself down to rest, Shaddy uttered a cheery cry. 

“Well done, Mr. Rob, sir!” he said. “You’re right. 
Camp’s just ahead.” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


2 95 


" What ! How do you know ? ” 

“ By that big, flop-branched tree, with the great supports 
like stays. I remember it as well as can be. Off to the 
right, sir, and in a quarter of an hour we shall be in the 
clearing.” 

“ Unless that’s one of thousands of trees that grow like it,” 
said Rob sadly, as he pressed on. 

“Nay, sir, I could swear to that one, sir, dark as it is. 
Now, you look up in five minutes, and see if you can’t make 
out stars.” 

Rob said nothing, but tramped on, forcing his way among - 
trees which he only avoided now by extending his bow and 
striking to right and left. 

Five minutes or so afterwards he cast up his eyes, but 
without expecting to see anything, when a flash of hope ran 
through him as he shouted joyfully — 

“ Stars, Shaddy, stars ! ” and as a grunt of satisfaction 
came from behind, he raised his voice to the highest pitch 
he could command, and roared out “ Mr. Brazier! Mr. Brazier ! 
Ahoy ! ” 

Shaddy took up the cry in stentorian tones — 

“ Ahoy ! Ahoy ! Ahoy ! ” and the shout was answered. 

“ There he is ! ” cried Rob, joyfully. “ Hurrah ! ” 

Shaddy was silent. 

“Didn’t you hear, Shaddy? Mr. Brazier answered. You 
are right, he did get back, after all.” 

Still Shaddy remained silent, only increased his pace in 
the darkness, lightened now by the stars which over-arched 
them, so as to keep up with Rob’s eager strides. 

“ Why don’t you speak, man ? Let’s shout again : Mr. 
Brazier ! Ahoy ! ” 

“ Mr. Brazier ! Ahoy ! ” came back faintly. 

“ I don’t like to damp you, Mr. Rob, sir,” said Shaddy, 
sadly, “ but you don’t see as we’re out in the clearing again. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


296 

“ That’s only the echo from the trees across the river. He 
isn’t here.” 

“ No,” said Rob, with a groan ; “ he isn’t here.” 

Just then there was a rustling sound behind them, and a 
low growl, followed by a strange sound which Rob under- 
stood at once. 


THE GRAND CHACO . 


2 97 


CHAPTER XXVII. 

THE FOUR-FOOTED FRIEND. 

The lad said nothing, so great was the change from hope 
to despondency ; and he hardly noticed the sound close be- 
side him, as Shaddy said gruffly — 

“ Well, if any one had told me that, I wouldn’t have 
believed it ! ” 

“ Is it any use to shout again, Shaddy ? ” said Rob, as 
he looked down at the indistinctly-seen shape of the dull 
tawny-coated puma, which had carried its captive after 
them to the clearing, and had now quietly lain down to its 
feast. 

“ No, Mr. Rob, sir ; if he’s here, it’s in the shelter place 
we made, utterly done up with tramping. Let’s go and 
see.” 

It was no easy task to get even there in the darkness, but 
they soon after stood at the end, and Rob convinced himself 
in a few moments that they were alone. 

“ Oh, Shaddy ! ” he cried piteously, “ he hasn’t come back. 
What can we do to find him ? ” 

“ I’ll show you, sir,” said the man, quietly. “ First thing 
is to make up the fire.” 

“ For him to see ? Yes ; that’s right.” 

“ Man couldn’t see the fire many y^rds away in the wood, 
Mr. Rob, sir. I meant for us, so as to roast a bit of that 
deer, if the lion ’ll let us have it.” 

“ I must do something to help Mr. Brazier ! ” said Rob, 
angrily. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


298 

“That’s helping him, my lad— having a good meal to 
make us strong. After that we’ll have a good sleep to make 
us rested/’ 

“ Oh, no ! no !” cried Rob, angrily. 

“ But I say yes, yes, yes, sir ! ” said Shaddy, firmly. “ I 
know what you feel, my lad, and it’s quite nat’ral ; but just 
hark ye here a moment. Can we do anything to find him 
in that black darkness to-night ? ” 

“ No,” said Rob, in despair ; “ it is, I know, impossible.” 

“Quite right, my lad. Then as soon as it’s daylight 
oughtn’t we to be ready to go and help him ? ” 

“ Of course, Shaddy.” 

“ Then how can we do most good, — as half-starved, worn- 
out fellows, without an ounce of pluck between us, or well- 
fed, strong, and refreshed, ready to tramp any number of 
hours, and able to carry him if it came to the worst ? Answer 
me that.” 

“ Come and light the fire, Shaddy,” said Rob, quietly. 

“ Ah ! ” ejaculated the old sailor, and he led the way to 
where the embers lay, warm still, and with plenty of dry 
wood about. Five minutes after the fire was blazing merrily 
and illumining the scene. 

“ Now,” cried Shaddy, “ if your Tom would play fair, 
and let us have the hind-quarters of that deer, we might 
have it instead of the lizard. He’ll only eat the neck, I 
daresay. Shall we try him ? I don’t think he’d show fight 
at you, sir.” 

“ Let’s try,” said Rob, quietly. “ I don’t think I’m afraid 
of him now.” 

“ Not you, Mr. Rob, sir,” said Shaddy ; and they went 
together to where they had left the puma feasting upon 
the deer, but, to the surprise of both, there lay the carcase 
partly eaten about the throat and breast, and the puma had 
gone. 


THE GRAND CHACO . 


299 

“ He can’t have had enough yet,” growled Shaddy, drop- 
ping upon his knees, knife in hand ; and, seizing hold of 
the deer, he drove his blade in just across the loins, separat- 
ing the vertebrae at the first thrust, but started back 
directly, as a low and fierce growl came from the edge of the 
forest, where they could see a pair of fiery eyes lit up by the 
blaze they had left behind. 

“ I know,” cried Shaddy; “he was scared off by our fire, 
but he don’t want to lose his supper. What shall we do, 
Mr. Rob ? Two more cuts, and I could draw the hind- 
quarters away. I’ll try it.” 

The puma was silent, and Shaddy slowly approached his 
hand, thrust in his knife, and made one bold cut which 
swept through the deer’s flank ; but another growl arose, and 
there was a bound made by the puma — which, however, 
turned and crept slowly back to cover, where it stood watch- 
ing them, with the fire again reflected in its eyes. 

“ He don’t mean mischief, Mr. Rob, sir,” said Shaddy “ I’ll 
have another try. I may get through it this time.” 

“ No, no, don’t try ; it’s dangerous.” 

“ But you don’t fancy that lizard thing, my lad ; and I 
want you strong to-morrow. Now, look here : I’ll get 
close again, and risk it; and if, just as I say ‘ Now,’ you’d 
speak to the beast quiet like, as you would to a dog, it 
might take his attention, and so we’d get the hind part clear 
off.” 

“Yes,” said Rob, quietly. “Shall I walk to it ? ” 

“ No,” I wouldn’t do that, but go a little way off sidewise, 
just keeping your distance, talking all the while, and he’d 
follow you with his eyes.” 

Rob nodded, and turned off, as Shaddy crept close once 
more and stretched out his hand. 

“Now!” he said; and Rob began to call the beast, 
fervently hoping that it would not come, but to his horror it 


3 00 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


did ; and he could just dimly make out its shape, looking 
misty and dim in the firelight, with its eyes glowing and its 
tail writhing, as it slowly approached, while Rob walked 
farther away from his companion still. 

All at once the puma stopped short, swung itself round, 
and, to Rob’s horror, crouched, bounded back toward where 
the carcase lay, leaping right to it, and burying its jaws in 
the deer’s neck with a savage snarl. 

“ Run, Shaddy ! ’ roared Rob. 



“ ‘ Run Shaddy ! ’ roared Rob.” 


“ It’s all right, my lad,” came from a little distance : “ I 
did. I’ve got our half, and he’s got his. Speak to him 
gently, and leave him to his supper. We won’t be very long 
before we have ours.” 

“ Got it ? ” cried Rob, eagerly, as he hurried after his com- 
panion. 

“ Yes, my lad— all right ; ” and a few minutes later pieces 
of the tender, succulent flesh, quite free from marks of the 
puma’s claws, were frizzling over the clear embers and emit- 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


3 01 


ting an appetizing odor, which taught the boy how hungry 
he was ; and as they were cooking, Shaddy talked of how 
tame he had known pumas to be, and of how they seemed 
to take to man. 

“ I wouldn’t trust a tiger the length of his tail,” he said, 
as they raked hot coals nearer to the roasting meat ; “ but 
I should never feel skeart of a lion, so long as I didn’t get 
fighting him. Strikes me that after a fashion you might get 
that chap kind of tame. Shouldn’t wonder if when he’s done, 
he comes and lies down here for a warm.” 

Rob thought of -his former night’s experience, when some- 
thing came and nestled near him ; and the next minute he 
was doing the same as the puma — partaking of the succulent 
meat, every mouthful seeming to give him fresh strength. 

It was a rough, but enjoyable meal, nature making certain 
demands which had to be satisfied ; and for the moment, as 
he fell to after his long fast, Rob forgot his boyish compan- 
ion and the second loss he had sustained. But as soon as he 
had finished, the depression came back, and he felt ashamed 
of himself for having enjoyed his food instead of dwelling 
upon some means of finding out where Mr. Brazier had 
strayed. 

His attention was taken off, though, directly by Shaddy, 
who said slowly : 

“ That’s better. Nothing like a good honest meal for set- 
ting a man going again and making him ready to think and 
work. I say, look yonder at your tom-cat.” 

The fire had just fallen together, and was blazing up so 
as to spread a circle of light for some distance round ; and 
upon looking in the direction of the puma Rob could see it 
lying down feasting away upon its share of the deer, appar- 
ently quite confident that it was in the neighborhood of friends, 
and not likely to be saluted with a shot. 

It struck Rob that the animal must be pretty well satisfied 


3° 2 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


now with food, and in consequence less likely to be vicious, 
so he rose. 

“ Where are you going, Mr. Rob, sir ? ” said Shaddy. 

“ Over to the puma.” 

“ I wouldn’t. Oh, I don’t know. Best time to make 
friends — after dinner. I’d be careful, though, my lad.” 

“ Yes ; I’ll take care,” said Rob, who felt a strong desire 
to find another friend out there in the wilderness, now that 
his companions were dropping away ; and thinking that the 
time might come when he would be quite alone, he walked 
slowly toward where the puma was crunching up some of the 
tender bones of the deer. 

Rob kept a little to one side, so that his shadow should 
not fall upon the animal, which paid no heed to his approach 
for a few moments ; then uttered a low fierce snarl and laid 
down its ears, making the boy stop short and feel ready to 
retreat, as the animal suddenly sprang up and stood lashing 
its tail and licking its lips. But it made ho further menacing 
sign, and walked quietly toward him and then stood waiting. 

Rob hesitated. Nature suggested flight, but Rob wanted 
to tame the beast, and mastering his dread he advanced and 
in spite of a warning admonition from Shaddy took another 
step -or two and stopped by the puma, which stared at him 
intently for a few moments. It then set all doubts as to its 
feelings at rest by suddenly butting its head against Rob’s 
leg, and as the lad bent down and patted it, threw itself on 
one side, and with the playful action of a kitten curved its 
paws, made dabs with them at the lad’s foot, and ended 
by holding it and rubbing its head against his boot. 

“Well done, beast tamer ! ” cried Shaddy; and the puma 
threw up its head directly and stared in the direction of the 
sound ; but a touch from Rob’s hand quieted it, and it 
stretched itself out and lay with his eyes half closed, ap- 
parently thoroughly enjoying the caresses of its human friend. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


3°3 

“ Better get to the shelter, Mr. Rob, sir,” said Shaddy sud- 
denly ; and after a final pat and stroke, the boy turned away 
from the puma and walked back to the fire, finding that the 
animal had sprung up and followed him directly for about 
half the distance, but only to stop short and stand there, 
handsome and lithe, watching them and the fire, while its tail 
played about and the fine hairs glistened. 

“ He don’t know what to make of me, Mr. Rob, sir ; and 
as we ve no dog I may as well be friends too. Try and bring 
him up. He won’t be a bad companion, especially if he 
hunts deer for us like he did to-night. He’ll be good as a 
gun.” 

“ He doesn’t seem to like you, Shaddy.” 

“ No, sir. I’m old and tough ; you’re young and tender,” 
said the guide grimly. “ He’s cunning as all cats are ; and 
some day, when he’s hungry and is enjoying you, he’ll say to 
himself — ‘ This is a deal better than that tough old sailor, 
who’d taste strong of tar and bilge.’ Here, what are you 
going to do ? ” 

“Try and fetch him here,” said Rob, smiling as he went 
close up to the puma, which crouched again at his approach . 
and full of confidence now, the lad went down on one knee, 
patting and stroking the beast for a minute, talking softly the 
while. 

The result was that as he rose the puma leaped up, bounded 
round him, and then followed close up to the fire, but met 
all Shaddy’s advances with a low growl and a laying down of 
its ears flat upon its head. 

“ All right,” said Shaddy, “ I don’t want to be friends if 
you don’t, puss ; only let’s have a — what-you-may-call-it ? ” 

“ Truce,” suggested Rob. 

“ That’s it, sir. I won’t show fight if he won’t. Now then, 
sir, let’s make up the fire ; and then — bed.” 

Shaddy quickly piled up a quantity of wood on the embers* 


THE GRAND CHACO . 


3°4 

beating and smothering it down, so that they might have it as 
a protection against enemies and as a ready friend in the 
morning. Then, shouldering the portion left of the deer, he 
led the way to the rough hut, hung the meat high up in a tree 
and crept in, Rob following and wondering whether the puma 
would stop near them. 

But the animal hung back as Rob followed his companion 
into the dark triangular-shaped space, where, after a short 
time devoted to meditation, he threw himself upon his bed 
of leaves to lie and think of his two lost companions. 

At least that was his intention, but the moment Rob rose 
in the darkness from his knees and lay down with a restful 
sigh, he dropped into a deep dreamless sleep, from which he 
half awoke once to stretch out his hand and feel it rest upon 
something furry and warm, which he dimly made out to be 
the curled up body of the puma. Then he slept again till 
broad daylight showed in through the end of the bough, but 
half shut away by the figure of the guide, who said roughly : 

“ Now you two : time to get up.” 

At that moment Rob’s hand rested upon a round, soft 
head, which began to move, and commenced a vibratory 
movement as a deep humming purr filled the place. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


305 


CHAPTER XXVIII. 

THE END OF THE QUEST. 

It was hard work to be dull and low-spirited in the midst 
of the beautiful scene which greeted Rob as he stepped out 
and followed Shaddy down to the fire. The clearing was one 
mass of glorious color, the sky gorgeous with the sunrise 
tints, and the river flushed with orange, blue, and gold. Birds 
sang, piped, and shrieked loudly, butterflies were beginning 
to flutter about, and a loud chattering from the nearest tree 
roused Rob to the fact that the puma had been following him, 
for it suddenly made three or four bounds in the direction 
of the sounds, and then crouched down to gaze at a party of 
monkeys, which were leaping about, scolding, shrieking and 
chattering angrily at the enemy watching their movements. 
Directly after, though, the puma returned to Rob’s side, utter- 
ing a sound strongly suggestive of the domestic cat. 

“ Going to have a dip, Mr. Rob, sir ? ” said Shaddy. And 
then — “ I’d be very careful, sir ; you know how full of biting 
varmin the river is. Look sharp ; breakfast’s ready, and as 
soon as we’ve done we’ll go and find Mr. Brazier.” 

“ Try to,” cried the boy sadly. 

“ Find him, Mr. Rob, sir. Bah ! who’s going to say die on 
a lovely morning in a lovely place like this ? ” 

Rob thought of his companion’s words as he turned down 
to the edge of the water and bathed, with the puma sitting 
near watching him, apparently with wonder. Then, refreshed 
and invigorated, he hastened back to where there was the 

20 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


3°6 

appetizing odor of roasting meat, while the puma returned 
to the remains of its last night’s feast. 

Half an hour after, armed with rough spear, bow and 
arrows, and a big package of roasted meat, consisting of deer 
legs, and the best parts of the iguana which Shaddy had taken 
out and begun cooking while Rob still slept, they were thread- 
ing their way amongst the trees once more, with the puma 
somewhere behind them, for they could hear it utter a curi- 
ous cry from time to time, though they never once caught 
sight of it amongst the dense growth. 

“ Feel as if I was right, don’t you, my lad ? ” said Shaddy, 
as they tramped on. “ Couldn’t have got through the trees 
like this without rest and food.” 

“You were quite right,” replied Rob. “Where are you 
making for ? ” 

“ The place I showed you last night. I think we’ll start 
from there.” 

It was a long time before they reached the spot, and ex- 
amined it carefully, to find more traces of Mr. Brazier having 
been there and stopping. So they shouted and whistled 
again and again, but there was no response, and trying to 
pick up the trail they started again — now utterly baffied and 
ready to return, now gathering fresh hope on suddenly coming 
upon a scrap of orchid or a bunch of woodland flowers, which 
had been carefully gathered and thrown down, apparently by 
some one wearied out. Then Rob uttered a cry of excitement, 
for he stumbled suddenly upon a spot which was compara- 
tively open, so that the sunshine penetrated. It was no 
doubt the work of a hurricane, for great trees lay prostrate, 
decaying fast, and fresh flowery growths had sprung up. 
Birds and insects were plentiful, and the spot looked lovely 
after the gloom of the forest shades. Here was the crushed- 
down growth where he they sought had lain down to sleep, 
unless it was the resting-place of an Indian. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


3°7 


Rob suggested it and Shaddy replied angrily : 

“ Look here, youngster, if ever you want a nickname call 
yourself Wet Blanket. What a fellow you are for making the 
worst of everything ! Some one lay down to rest here, didn’t 
he ? ” 

“ Yes, I think so.” 

“ And I’m sure. Now look at the places where the flowers 
have been snapped off. I know what you’re saying to your- 
self : ‘ wild beast or Indian ’ ! Now, I ask you, sir, as a young 
English gent who has been to school and can read and write, 
do wild beasts and Indians go about picking flowers or col- 
lecting anything that isn’t good to eat ? ” 

“ Ah, Shaddy,” said Rob sadly, “ you beat me at arguing. 
I’m afraid to hope of finding him alive, but you’re quite right, 
and I will try and believe.” 

“ Bravo, Mr. Rob, sir I Three cheers for that ! Never 
fear, we’ll find him alive yet ; weak and done up, but keeping 
himself going. He has found bits of fruit and nuts, and when 
he couldn’t find them there’s something in the tops of tender 
grasses. Cheer up, sir ! Now then, let’s give a big shout 
here.” 

Shaddy set the example, and at the tremendous yell he sent 
forth there was a rush of wings from one of the trees a short 
distance away, where all had been perfectly still the moment 
before ; and as a flock of birds hidden by the leaves dashed 
off, quite a little shower of fruit was dropped by them among 
the leaves. 

“ There, sir — that was food,” cried Shaddy ; “ and a gen- 
tleman who knows all about such things, as Mr. Brazier does, 
would find them and keep himself going. Now it’s your turn. 
Shout, sir.” 

Rob uttered as loud a cry as he could, and then twice over 
imitated the Australian “ cooee,” following it up with a shrill 
piercing note from a little silver whistle ; but the only re- 


3°8 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


sponse was the cry of an ara , one of the great scarlet and 
blue long-tailed macaws, whose harsh shriek came softened 
from the distance. 

“ Not right yet, Mr. Rob, sir,” said Shaddy, quietly; “but 
we’re not going to despair, boy. I aren’t a religious man 
your way, but after my fashion I trust in God and take the 
rough with the smooth. What is to be will be, so don’t let’s 
kick against it. We’ve got our duty to do, my lad, and 
that’s to keep on trying. Now then, what do you say to a 
bit of a snack ? ” 

“ No, no — not yet, Shaddy ; let’s go on.” 

“ Right, my lad.” 

They started again, and pressed on through the breathless 
heat of the woods, but without finding further sign of any 
one having passed that way ; and at last Shaddy stopped 
short on the banks of a running stream, which impeded far- 
ther progress, and whose waters offered refreshing draughts 
to those who were getting in sore need. 

“ We’re off his track, Mr. Rob. He’s not likely to have 
crossed a river like this ; but welcome it is, for it shows us 
the way back just when I was getting a bit muddled.” 

“ How does it ? ” said Rob, wonderingly. 

“ Because it must flow into the big river somewhere below 
our camp.” 

“ Then you have seen no traces of him lately ? ” 

“ Nothing, my lad, since we left that open patch where the 
birds flew out of the trees.” 

“ Then we must go back at once, Shad.” 

“ Not until we’ve trimmed the lamps again, my lad. Sit 
down on that old trunk— No, don’t ; I daresay it’s full of 
stinging ants and things, and perhaps there’s a snake or two. 
We’ll sit on this root and have a good feed, and then take up 
our track again.” 

Rob seated himself sadly down, while the guide unpacked 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


3°9 

his store of meat wrapped in green leaves ; and the boy felt 
annoyed with himself for his want of forethought on seeing 
how carefully his companion put back and bound up some 
of the best, nodding, as he caught Rob’s eyes fixed upon 
him. 

“ For Mr. Brazier,” he said. “ He’ll be glad enough of a 
bit o’ meat when we find him.” 

They began eating directly, washing down the savory 
roast with handfuls of clearwater scooped up from the stream 
which bubbled and foamed by in its rocky bed. 

“ Well, now look at that ! ” cried Shaddy the next minute, 
as with one tremendous bound the puma alighted just before 
them, and stood looking at Rob and lashing its tail. “ Why, 
he must have come after us all the time. Trust an animal 
for smelling meat.” 

Rob shared his portion with the great cat, which also 
crunched up the bones, and once more they began their 
search, taking up their own trail backward, and with no little 
difficulty following it to the opening, from whence they kept 
on making casts, till night was once more approaching, and 
they tramped back to the hut just in time to save their fire ; 
but they had nothing to cook, the remains of the iguana 
being too far gone, and breakfast consisted of nuts and water, 
though the puma feasted well. 

The next morning they were off again soon after daylight, 
after breakfasting off fish secured by Shaddy as soon as 
it was light, while a couple more were roasted and taken 
with them. 

This time they tried a fresh direction, trusting more to 
chance ; and as they toiled on Shaddy grew more and more 
serious as he forced his way through the trees, and his manner 
was softer and gentler to his companion, who rarely spoke 
now save to the puma, which grew hourly more confident, 
and kept close at Rob’s heels, giving his leg a rub '\vhenQver 


THE GRAND CHACO . 


310 

he stopped short to glance about him through the solemn 
shadows of the forest. 

For this was the third day of their search, and it was im- 
possible to help feeling that it was the very last upon which 
they could cling to hope. 

It passed as the others had done, in one weary tramp and 
struggle, but without a single sign of the lost one to give 
them encouragement to proceed ; and at last, when they 
were bound to return if they intended to sleep again in camp, 
Shaddy said suddenly : 

“ God help him, my lad : we’ve done all we can. Let’s 
get back now. I may think out something fresh by to-morrow 
morning. I can’t do anything to-night, for my head’s like 
my legs — dead beat out.” 

Rob answered with a sigh, for his heart was very heavy 
now ; and as his companion stood calculating for a few 
minutes which way they should go, he waited, and then 
followed behind him without a word. 

They were a little earlier this time, but the sun had gone 
down before they got out of the forest at the extreme corner 
on the right of their hut ; and as they trudged back the puma 
made two dashes at prey unseen by the travellers, but 
without success, returning after each cautious crawl and final 
bound to walk quietly along behind Rob, who, in a dull, 
heavy, unthinking way, reached back to touch the beast, 
which responded with a friendly pressure and rub of its head 
against the extended hand. 

And as they crept slowly on, with the trees crowding round 
them as if to hinder their progress, and the darkness of the 
umbrageous foliage seeming to press down upon their heads, 
their journey was made with greater difficulty than ever ; for 
the spirit or energy had gone out of Shaddy, who tramped 
on as if he were asleep. 

It struck Rob once that this was the case, and he increased 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


3 11 

his own rate so as to try and get ahead of his companion, but 
as soon as he drew close up his comrade stopped. 

“ Like to go first, my lad ? ” 

“No, no,” said Rob hurriedly. “ Are you sure of the 
road?” 

“ No, my lad, because there isn’t one. I’m only pretty 
sure that we are in the right direction.” 

It proved that he was correct when in due time they stood 
out in the clearing, with the darkness falling fast, and then 
Shaddy said suddenly, and as if with an effort : 

“ Come, Mr. Rob, sir, we mustn’t give up. Let’s have 
some food, or we shall be done. No deer meat to-night, no 
iguana. Get the fire going while I go and try for a fish ; 
there’ll just be time.” 

Rob tramped heavily to the fire, and the guide went to the 
tree where he had hung the line, baited it from the remains 
of the food, and strode down to his favorite spot for fish- 
ing ; while Rob busied himself raking the fire together with 
a half-burned branch, and then, as it began to smoke, piled 
on it the partly-burned brands, and upon them the pieces 
industriously heaped together. 

The blaze began to creep up and lick the twigs and 
branches as the blue smoke rose. Then the fire increased 
to a ruddy glow ; and feeling chilly after the heat to which 
he had been exposed, Rob sat listlessly down gazing at the 
increasing flames, which lit up his sun-browned face as he 
thought and thought of his boyish comrade, then of Mr. Bra- 
zier, and at last of himself. 

They were sad thoughts, for he felt that he should never 
see home again, that he would be the next to be struck down 
by some savage beast, bitten by a poisonous snake, or lost 
in the forest, where he would be too weak to find his way 
back. And as he thought he wondered what Shaddy would 
do when he was gone — whether he would be picked up by 


3 12 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


some passing boat, or live on in a kind of Robinson Crusoe 
life to a good old age. 

Rob started involuntarily as he reached this point, for some- 
thing touched him ; and turning sharply, he found that the 
puma was rubbing its head against his shoulder, the beauti- 
ful creature uttering its peculiar purring sound as Rob threw 
an arm round its neck and began to caress it, ready as he 
was out there to cling to anything in his weariness and deso- 
lation. 

He was thus occupied when the puma started away, for 
there was a step behind him. 

“ Tired, my lad ? Only got one, but he’s a fine fellow,” 
said Shaddy, who rapidly chopped off the head and a good- 
sized piece of the tail of a fine dorado. 

“ Not so very ; only low-spirited.” 

“ Not you, my lad : hungry’s the word. That’s what was 
the matter with me. Here, I say, squire, if you’re anything 
of a cat you’ll like fish,” he continued, as he threw the head, 
tail, and other portions of the fish toward the puma, which 
hesitated for a few moments and then secured and bore 
them off. 

Meanwhile, to help his companion more than from any 
desire for food, Rob had risen and cut some big palm leaves, 
laid them down, and then raked a hole in the heap of embers 
ready for the fish. 

“ That’s better,” said Shaddy, as he lifted the great parcel 
he had made of the fish ; and depositing his load in the em- 
bers, he took the rough branch they used for a rake and 
poker in one, and covered the packet deeply. 

“ There, Mr. Rob, sir ; that’s the best thing for our low 
spirits. We shall be better after that physic.” 

“ Hush ! ” cried Rob excitedly. 

“ Eh ! What ? Did you hear something ? ” 

“ Yes : a faint cry.” 


THE GRAND CHACO . 


313 


“ No ! ” 

“ But I did. And look at the puma : he heard it too. 
Didn’t you see it start and leave the fish ? ” 

“ Yes, but I thought I startled it. He’s very suspicious of 
me, and I don’t suppose we shall ever be good friends.” 

“ No, it was not that,” whispered Rob, whose voice trem- 
bled as if he were alarmed. 

“ Then it was some beast in the forest. There they are, 
any number of them. Frog perhaps, or an owl : they make 
very queer sounds.” 

Rob shook his head. 

“ I say, don’t look so scared, my lad, just as if you were 
going to be ill. I tell you what it was : one of those howling 
spider monkeys at a distance.” 

“ There again ! ” cried Rob, starting up, — an example 
followed by the guide, who was impressed by the peculiar 
faint cry ; and as Rob seized his companion’s arm, the latter 
said, with a slight suggestion of nervousness in his tone : 

“ Now, what beast could that be ? But there, one never 
gets used to all the cries in the forest. Here, what’s the 
matter ? Where are you going, my lad ? ” 

“ To see — to see,” gasped Rob. 

“ Not alone, Mr. Rob, sir. I don’t think it is, but it may 
be some dangerous creature, and I don’t want you to come 
to trouble. Got enough without. Hah ! there it goes 
again.” 

For there was the same peculiar smothered cry, apparently 
from the edge of the forest, close to where they had raised 
their hut. 

“ Come along quickly,” whispered Rob, in a faint, panting 
voice. 

“ Yes, but steady, my lad. Let’s try and see our way. 
We don’t want to be taken by Surprise. Get ready an arrow 
and I may as well have my knife,” 


3 1 4 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ No : come on ; don’t you know what it was ? It was 
close here somewhere. Can’t you tell ? ” 

“ No, my lad, or you neither. I’ve been a little longer in 
the woods than you.” 

“ How can you be so dull ? ” cried Rob. “ Now, quick : it 
must have been somewhere here. I heard ■ Help,’ as plain 
as could be.” 

“ What ? ” 

Just then the cry arose again, not fifty yards away ; and 
unmistakably that word was uttered in a faint, piteous tone : 

“ Help ! ” — and again, “ Help ! ” 

The pair sprang forward together, crashing recklessly 
among the branches in the direction of the sound ; but as 
they reached the place from whence it seemed to have come 
all was still, and there was no response to their cries. 

“ All a mistake, my lad,“ said Shaddy. “ We're done up, 
and fancied it.” 

u Fancied ? No, it was Mr. Brazier,” cried Rob excitedly. 

“ I’m sure of it ; and Yes, yes, quick ; this way. Here 

he lies 1 ” 



Ip 4 V 





1 

$ 

M • ' • 





“ The pair sprang forward together. 










THE GRAND CHACO. 


316 


CHAPTER XXIX. 

FRIEND AND PATI ENT. 

They had sought in vain for the lost man ; and when in 
utter despair they had been on the point of giving up the 
search, he had struggled back to them, his last steps guided 
by the fire when he had felt that he must lie down utterly 
exhausted, to die. 

“ Mr. Brazier ! At last ! ” cried Rob ; and he went down 
upon his knee and grasped his leader’s hand, but there was 
no response, and the fingers he held were cold as ice. 

“ Here, lend a hand, Mr. Rob, sir,” cried Shaddy roughly, 
“ and help me to get him on my back.” 

“ Let me help carry him.” 

“ No, sir ; my way’s easiest, quickest, and will hurt him 
least. He’s half dead of starvation, and cold as cold. 
Quick, sir ! let’s get him down by the fire. It will be too 
dark in the hovel to do anything.” 

Rob helped to raise the wanderer, Shaddy swung him on 
his back lightly and easily, and stepping quickly toward the 
fire, soon had the poor fellow lying with his feet exposed to 
the blaze, while water was given to him, a little at a time, 
and soon after a few morsels of the tender fish, which he 
swallowed with difficulty. 

They had no rest that night, but, with the strange cries and 
noises of the forest around them, mingled with the splash- 
ings and danger-threatening sounds of the river, they tended 
and cared for the insensible man, giving him food and water 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


3 r 7 

from time to time, but in quantities suggestive of homoeo- 
pathic treatment. Still they felt no fatigue for the great 
joy in both their hearts, for neither of them had the faintest 
hope of ever seeing their leader again. 

Once or twice during the night Mr. Brazier had seemed so 
cold and rigid that Rob had glanced wildly at the guide, who 
replied by feeling the insensible man’s feet. 

“ Only sleep, my lad ! ” he said softly. “ I daresay he will 
not come to for a couple of days. A man can’t pass through 
the horror of being lost without going off his head more or 
less.” 

“ Do you think he’ll be delirious, then ? ” 

“ Off his head, my lad ? Yes. It will be almost like a 
fever, I should say, and we shall have to nurse him a long 
time till he comes round.” 

The guide was quite right. The strong man was utterly 
brought down by the terrible struggle of the past three days, 
and as they looked at his hollow eyes and sunken cheeks it 
was plain to see what he had suffered bodily from hunger, 
while his wanderings told of how great the shock must have 
been to his brain. 

The mystery of the blood was explained simply enough by 
his roughly bandaged left arm, on which, as they examined 
it, while he lay perfectly weak and insensible, they found a 
severe wound cleanly cut, by a knife. 

“ He must have been attacked, then,” cried Rob as he 
looked at the wound in horror, while in a quiet, methodical way 
Shaddy proceeded to sew it together by the simple process 
of thrusting a couple of pins through the skin and then wind- 
ing a thread of silk round them in turn from head to point, 
after which he firmly bandaged the wound before making a 
reply to Rob’s words. 

“ Yes, my lad,” he said ; “ right arm attacked his left. He 
must have been making a chop at some of the plants on a 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


3 l8 

branch, and the tool slipped. You take out his knife and 
open it, and see if it ain’t marked.” 

Shaddy was quite right, for there on the handle were some 
dried-up traces of how the wound must have bled. 

It was a week before the patient began to show tokens of 
amendment, during which time Rob and Shaddy had been 
hard pressed for ways to supply his wants. There were end- 
less things necessary for the invalid which they could not 
supply, but, from old forest lore and knowledge picked up 
during his adventurous life, the guide was able to find the 
leaves of a shrub, which leaves he beat into a pulp between 
two pebbles, put the bruised stems into the cup of a water 
flask, added water, and gave it to the patient to drink. 

“ It is of no use to ask me what it is, Mr. Rob, sir,” said 
the guide ; “ all I know is that the Indians use it, and that 
there isn’t anything better to keep down fever and get up 
strength.” 

“ Then it must be quinine,” said Rob. 

“ No, my lad ; it isn’t that, but it’s very good. These wild 
sort of people seem to have picked up the knack of doctoring 
themselves and of finding out poisons to put on their arrows 
somehow or another, and there’s no nonsense about 
them.” 

The prisoners in the vast forest — for they were as much 
prisoners as if shut up in some huge building — had to scheme 
hard to obtain their supplies so as to make them suitable to 
their patient. Fish they caught, as a rule, abundantly 
enough ; birds they trapped and shot with arrows ; and fruit 
was to be had after much searching ; but their great want 
was some kind of vessel in which to cook, till after several 
failures, Rob built up a very rough pot, of clay from the 
river bed, by making long, thin rolls and laying one upon the 
other and rubbing them together. This pot he built up on a 
piece of thin shaly stone, dried it in the sun, and ended by 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


3 1 9 

baking it in the embers — covering it over with the hot ashes, 
and leaving it all one night. 

Shaddy watched him with a grim smile, and kept on giv- 
ing him words of encouragement, as he worked, tending Mr. 
Brazier the while, brushing the flies away and arranging 
green boughs over him to keep him in the shade, declaring 
that he would be better out there in the open than in the 
forest shade. 

“ Well done, my lad ! ” said the old sailor, as Rob held up 
the finished pot before placing it in the fire ; “ ’tis a rough 
’un, but I daresay there has been worse ones made. What 
I’m scared about, is the firing. Strikes me it will crack all 
to shivers.” 

To Rob’s great delight, the pot came out of the wood ashes 
perfectly sound, and their next experiment was the careful 
stewing down of an iguana for some hours, and the produc- 
tion of a quantity of broth, which Shaddy pronounced to be 
finer than any chicken soup ever made ; Rob, after trying 
hard to conquer his repugnance to food prepared from such 
a hideous-looking creature, said it was not bad ; and their 
patient drank with avidity. 

“ There,” said Shaddy, “ now we shall go on swimmingly 
in the kitchen now ; and, as we can have hot water, I don’t 
see why we shouldn’t have some tea.” 

“ You’d better go to the grocer’s, then, for a pound,” said 
Rob, with a laugh. 

“ Oh no, I shan’t,” said Shaddy ; “ here’s plenty of leaves 
to dry in the sun such as people out here use, and you’ll say 
it ain’t such bad tea, neither ; but strikes me, Mr. Rob, that 
the sooner you make another pot the better.” 

Rob set to at once, and failed in the baking, but suc- 
ceeded admirably with his next attempt, the new pot being 
better baked than the old, and that night he partook of some 


3 20 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


of Shad’s infusion of leaves, which was confessed to be only 
wanting in sugar and cream to be very palatable. 

That day they found a deer lying among the bushes, with 
the neck and breast eaten, evidently the puma’s work, and, 
after what Shaddy called a fair division, the legs and loins 
were carried off to roast and stew, giving the party, with the 
fruit and fish, a delightful change. 

The next day was one to be marked with a red letter, for 
towards evening Mr. Brazier’s eyes had in them the look of 
returned consciousness. 

Rob saw it first as he knelt down beside his friend, who 
smiled at him faintly, and spoke in quite a whisper. 

From that hour he began to amend fast, and a week after 
he had related how, in his ardor to secure new plants, he 
had lost his bearings, and gone on wandering here and there 
in the most helpless way, sustaining life on such berries and 
other fruits as he could find, till the horror of his situation 
was more than his brain could bear. Face to face with the 
fact that he might go on wandering there till forced by weak- 
ness to lie down and die, he said the horror mastered him all 
at once, and the rest was like some terrible dream of going 
on and on, with intervals that were full of delight, and in 
which he seemed to be amongst glorious flowers, which he was 
always collecting, till the heaps crushed him down, and all was 
horror, agony, and wild imagination. Then he awoke lying 
beneath the bower of leaves shaded from the sunshine, listen- 
ing to the birds, the rushing sound of the rivet, and, best of 
all, the voices of his two companions. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


321 


CHAPTER XXX. 

AN UNEXPECTED ENEMY. 

Mr. Brazier’s recovery took a month from the day of his 
regaining the balance of his reason, and even then he was 
weak ; but he was about again, and, though easily fatigued, 
took his part in the many little duties they had to fulfil to 
sustain life in their forest prison. All thought of escape by 
their own efforts had been given up, and they had all taken 
the good course, roughly put by Shad as making the best of 
things. 

In fact, the- horror and shock of their position had grown 
fainter, the loss of poor Giovanni a softened memory, and 
the cowardly desertion of the Indians with the boat a matter 
over which it was useless to murmur. For the human mind 
is very plastic, and, if fully employed, soon finds satisfaction 
in its tasks. 

It was so here, for every day brought its work, for the 
most part in glorious sunshine, and scarcely a night arrived 
without one of the three having something to announce in 
the way of discovery or invention for the amelioration of 
their lot. 

“ There is always the possibility of our being sought out 
and escaping,” Mr. Brazier said ; “ and in that hope I shall 
go on collecting, for the plants here are wonderful ; and if I 
can get specimens home to England some day there will be 
nothing to regret.” 

In this spirit he went on as he grew stronger ; and as 
for some distance inland in the triangle of miles two of 

21 


322 THE GRAND CHACO. 

whose sides were the greater river and its tributary, they 
had formed so many faint trails in their hunting and fruit- 
seeking expeditions, the chances of being “ bushed,” as the 
Australians call it, grew fewer, plenty of collecting expedi- 
tions were made, at first in company with Shaddy and Rob, 
afterwards alone. 

One evening a tremendous storm of wind and rain, with 
the accompaniments of thunder and lightning of the most 
awe-inspiring nature, gave them a lesson in the weakness of 
their shelter-place, for the water swept through in a deluge, 
and after a terrible night they gazed in dismay at the river, 
which was running swiftly nearly up to the place where they 
kept their fire going. That the flood was increasing they 
had not the slightest doubt, and it promised before long to 
be right over where they stood, fortunately now in the bril- 
liant sunshine, which rapidly dried their clothes and gave 
them hope as well. 

“ We shall have to go inland and seek higher ground,” 
Mr. Brazier said at last. 

“ And where are you going to find it, sir ? ” said Shaddy 
rather gruffly. “ There’s high land away back on the far 
side of the river, but we can’t get there, and all out as far as 
I’ve been on this is one dead level. Look yonder; there’s 
a lesson for us what to do if it gets much worse,” he con- 
tinued, pointing toward a great tree at the edge of the 
forest. 

“ Yes,” said Rob as he watched a little flock of green-and- 
scarlet parrots circling round and perching in the upper 
branches, “ but we have no wings, Shaddy.” 

“No, my lad, and never will have; but I didn’t mean 
that. Look a bit lower,” 

“ Oh, you mean in that next tree. Ugh ! how horrible 1 ” 
cried Rob, with a shudder. “ Has that been driven here by 
the water ? ” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 323 

“ I don’t know what you’re talking about sir. I mean that 
tree I pointed to. Look there in the fork.” 

“ Yes ; I can see it, Rob,” said Mr. Brazier. “ It’s com- 
fortably asleep. We must do as it does. Not the first time 
an animal has given men a lesson.” 

Rob stared from one to the other as if wondering why they 
did not see with his eyes. 

“ Can’t you see it Rob — your puma ? ” 

“ Eh ? Oh yes, I see him now, but I meant in the other 
tree. Look ! the great brute is all in motion. Why, it’s a 
perfect monster ! ” 

“ Phew ! ” whistled Shad ; “ I didn’t see it. Look, Mr. 
Brazier, sir. That is something like a snake.” 

He pointed now to where a huge serpent was worming its 
way about the boughs of one of the trees in a slow, sluggish 
way, as if trying to find a spot where it could curl up and be 
at rest till the water, which had driven it from its customary 
haunts, had subsided. 

“ What shall we do, Shaddy ? ” whispered Rob. “ Why, 
that must be nearly sixty feet long.” 

“ It’s nearer two foot long, Mr. Rob, sir. My word ! how 
people’s eyes do magnify when they’re a bit scared.” 

“But it is a monstrously huge serpent,” said Brazier, 
shading his eyes, as he watched the reptile. 

“ Yes, sir, and as nigh as one can judge, going round his 
loops and rings, a good five-and-twenty foot and as big round 
as my thigh.” 

. “ We can’t stay here, then ! ” cried Rob excitedly. 

“ Don’t see why not, sir. He hasn’t come after us, only 
to take care of himself ; and I’m beginning to think it’s a 
bad sign.” 

“ That it does mean to attack us ? ” said Brazier. 

“ Not it, sir. I mean a bad sign about the flood, for some- 
how, stupid as animals seem, they have a sort of idea of 


324 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


when danger’s coming, and try to get out of its way. 1 
should say that before long the waters will be all up over 
where we are, and that it’s our duty to get up a bit, too, and 
take enough food to last till the flood’s gone down.” 

“ And how long will that be ? ” Rob asked. 

“Ah ! that’s what I can’t say, sir. Let’s get together all 
we can, and I’m sorry to say it ain’t very much, for we pun- 
ished the provisions terribly last night.” 

“ Yes, we are low,” said Brazier thoughtfully. 

“ There’s some nuts on that tree where the lion is, so we’ll 
take to that,” said the old sailor thoughtfully. “ He’ll have 
to turn out and take to another, or behave himself. Now 
what’s to be done beside ? We can’t get any fire if the flood 
rises much, and for certain we can’t catch any fish with the 
river like this. What do you say to trying to shoot the big 
boa with your bow and arrows ? ” 

“ What ? ” cried Rob, with a look of disgust. 

“ Oh ! he’s not bad eating, my lad. The Indians feast on 
’em sometimes, cutting them up into good stout lumps, and 
it isn’t so much unlike eel.” 

“ What, have you tasted it ? ” 

“ Oh yes, sir ; there’s precious few things used for food 
when men are hungry that I haven’t had a taste of in my 
time.” 

Just then Mr. Brazier pointed to the place where they kept 
their fire, and over which the water was now lapping and 
bearing off the soft gray ashes, which began to eddy and 
swim round the little whirlpools formed by the swift current, 
before the light deposit from the fire was swept right 
away. 

By this time, as Rob kept his eyes upon it, the great ser- 
pent had gradually settled itself down upon one of the far- 
spreading horizontal boughs of the huge monarch, which, 
growing upon the edge of the forest, found ample space for 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


325 

its spreading branches, instead of being kept back on all sides 
by fellow-trees, and so directing all its efforts in the way of 
growth upward toward the sun. 

Brazier noticed Rob’s looks, and laid his hand upon the 
lad’s shoulder. 

“ I don’t think we need fear any attack from that, Rob,” 
he said, “ for the water, if it goes on rising like this, will soon 
be between us, and I don’t suppose the serpent will leave 
one tree to get up into another.” 

“Not it, sir,” interposed Shaddy; “and, excuse me, let’s 
be sharp, for the water’s coming down from miles away on 
the high ground, and it will be over here before long. Look 
at that ? ” 

They were already looking at a great wave sweeping down 
the furious river, which was covered with boughs and trees, 
the latter rolling over and over in the swift current, now 
showing their rugged earth and stone-filled roots, now their 
boughs, from which the foliage and twigs were rapidly being 
stripped. 

“ Why, it’s right over our kitchen now.” 

“And will carry away my pots! ” cried Rob, running away 
to save the treasures which had caused him so much trouble 
to make. 

“ Look sharp, sir ! ” cried Shaddy ; “ here’s quite a torrent 
coming. We’ll make for the tree at once, or we shall be lost 
once more.” 

“ All right ! ” cried Rob as he ran to the far edge of their 
fireplace, where the boughs and pieces of wood collected for 
fuel were beginning to sail away, and he had just time to 
seize one great rough pot as it began to float, while a wave 
curled over toward the other and covered the lad’s foot. 

But he snatched up the vessel and hurried toward the 
tree in which the puma was curled up, Brazier and Shad 
following, with the little food they had left, and none too 


326 


THE GRAND CHACO . 


soon. They handed Rob’s two pieces of earthenware up to 
him, and then joined him in the fork of the tree. 

The water was by now lapping softly about its foot, but 
from time to time a wave came sweeping down the river as 
if sudden influxes of water kept on rushing in higher up to 
increase the flood, and in consequence ring after ring or 
curve of water swept over the land, gliding now up amongst 
the trees of the forest, penetrating farther and farther each 
time, and threatening that the whole of the country through 
which the river passed would be flooded for miles. 

The puma snarled and looked fierce as the two men followed 
Rob, but it contented itself with a fresh position, higher up in 
a secondary fork of the tree, where it crouched, glaring 
down at those below, but hardly noticed, for, after recovering 
their belongings, the attention of those on the fork was 
divided between the rising of the water and the uneasy 
movements of the great occupant of the next tree. 

“ I suppose we may confess' to being afraid of a reptile 
like that,” said Brazier, measuring the distance between the 
trees with his eyes and looking up to see if the. branches of 
either approached near enough to enable the reptile to make 
its way across. 

“No fear, sir ! ” said Shaddy, with a smile, as he read his 
companion’s thoughts. “ We’ve only the water to trouble 
us now.” 

“ But it will never get up so high as this ? ” cried Rob in 
alarm, as he thought of the trees which he had seen swept 
down the river, forest chiefs, some of them, which had been 
washed out by floods. 

“ I hope not, sir ; but we have to be ready for everything 
in this country, as you’ve found out already.” 

This set Rob thinking as he watched the waves coming 
down the river, each sweeping before it a mass of verdure, 
pieces at times taking the form of floating islands, with the 


THE GRAND CHACO . 


3 2 7 

low growth upon them keeping its position just as the patches 
had broken away from undermined banks. 

“ Don’t you wonder where it all goes, Mr. Rob ? ” said 
Shaddy suddenly. 

“ Yes ; does it get swept out to sea ? ” 

“Not it, sir. Gets dammed up together in bends and 
corners of the river, and makes it cut itself a fresh bed to 
right or left. This country gets flooded sometimes for hum 
dreds upon hundreds of miles, so that you can row about 
among the trees where you like. Ah ! it would be a fine 
time for Mr. Brazier when the flood’s at its height, for we 
could row about just where we liked — if we had a boat,” he 
added after a pause. 

Just then the puma gave a savage growl. 

“Here, what’s the matter with you?” cried the guide 
sharply. 

The puma snarled again and showed its teeth, but they saw 
that it was staring away from the tree. . 

“ He can see the serpent,” said Rob eagerly; and they now 
saw the reason, for, evidently aware of their proximity, and 
from a desire to escape, the great reptile was all in motion, 
its fore part beginning slowly to descend the tree, the head and 
neck clinging wonderfully to the inequalities of the bark for 
a part of the way, and then the creature fitted itself in the 
deep groove between two of the buttress-like portions, which 
ran down right away from the main trunk. 

They all watched the reptile with curiosity, for its actions 
were singular, and it was exciting to see the way in which the 
whole length of the animal was in action as the head, neck, 
and part of the body glided down in a deliberate way, with the 
tongue darting out and flickering about the hard, metallic- 
looking mouth, while the eyes glistened in the sunshine, 
which threw up the rich colors and pattern of the scaly 
coat. 


3 2 8 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ He don’t like it, and is going to swim off,” said Shaddy 
suddenly, as the head of the serpent was now approaching 
the surface of the water. “ I never saw one of this kind take 
to the water before. Say, Mr. Rob ! ” 

Rob turned to him. 

“ You had better get your cat down here, incase he means 
coming across to this tree. — No : there won’t be any need. 
He couldn’t swim against this current : it would sweep him 
away.” 

Rob drew a breath full of relief as he glanced at Brazier, 
whose face, pallid with his late illness, certainly looked paler, 
and his eyes were contracted by his feeling of horror. But 
their companion’s last words relieved him from his dread, 
and he sat there upon the huge branch that was his resting- 
place, watching the actions of the serpent, which still glided 
on, and moved with its head close to the groove in the trunk 
till it was close to the water slowly rising to meet it, until a 
length of quite twelve feet reached down from the fork, like 
the stem of some mighty climbing fig which held the tree in 
its embrace. 

“ Yes, he’s going to swim for it,” said Shaddy eagerly. 
“ Fancy meeting a thing like that on the river ! I thought it 

was only the anacondas which took to the water, and 

Well, look at that ! ” 

The man’s exclamation was caused by the action of the 
serpent, for just as its head reached the surface of the flood 
one of the waves came rushing inland from the river, leaped 
up the tree three or four feet, deluging the head and neck of 
the serpent and sinking down again almost as quickly as it 
had risen. The reptile contracted itself as rapidly, drawing 
back and evidently satisfied with the result of its efforts to 
escape, and began to climb again, holding on by its ring-like 
scales as it crept up and up till its head was back in the great 
fork of the tree, and the anterior part of the body hung down 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


3 2 9 


in a huge loop, which was' gradually lessened as the great 
creature resumed its place. 

There was nothing to fear from the serpent, to the great 
relief of those who watched ; but it had begun to be ques- 
tionable how long their present position would be safe, for 
the water was rising now with wonderful rapidity, great waves 
tearing down the river from time to time, bearing enormous 
masses of tangled tree and bush and sending out masses of 
foam, sweeping over the clearing with an angry rush, which 
changed into a fierce hiss as of thousands of serpents when 
the wave reached the edge of the forest and ran in among 
the trees with a curious wail till it died away in the distance. 

When the waves struck the tree amongst whose branches 
the party were ensconced, the puma growled at the heavy 
vibrations, and began to tear at the bark with its claws. As 
one, however, worse than usual struck the trunk, it gathered 
itself together, uttered a harsh growl, and was about to spring 
off and swim, as if it feared being crushed down by the 
branches of the washed-out tree ; but a few words from Rob 
pacified it, and it settled down once more, half hanging, as 
it were, across the fork, where it was swinging its tail to and 
fro and gazing down at the human companion it had chosen. 


33 <> 


THE GRAND CHACO . 


CHAPTER XXXI. 

A FOREST FEUD. 

The little party sat there waiting patiently for the next 
event, their eyes being mostly directed across the waste of 
water towards the well-marked course of the stream, with its 
rush, swirl and eddy ; and before long there was another 
heaving up, as if a bank descended the river, spreading 
across the opening, and directly after struck the tree with a 
blow which made it quiver from root to summit. 

“ Will it hold fast, Naylor ? ” said Brazier, rather ex- 
citedly. 

“Hope so, sir. I think it’s safe, but it’s growing in such 
soft soil, all river mud, sand, and rotten wood, that the roots 
are loose, and it feels as if it would give way at last. I dare- 
say this was a bend of the river once.” 

“ But if it does give way, what are we to do ? ” cried Rob 
excitedly. 

“ Swim for the next tree, sir.” 

“ But that has a great snake in it.” 

“ Can’t help that, Mr. Rob. Rather have a snake for a 
mate than be drowned. He’s too much frightened to med- 
dle with us. Look out, every one, and try to keep clear of 
the boughs, so as not to be beaten under. 

This was consequent upon the rushing in succession of 
three great waves, which struck the tree at intervals of a 
few seconds, the last sending the water splashing up to 
where they sat, and at the same time deluging the serpent in 
the next tree, making it begin to climb higher, and exciting 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


33 1 


the puma so that Rob could hardly keep it from leaping 
off. 

“ The roots must be undermined,” cried Brazier. “ Look 
—look ! ” 

He pointed at the effect of the waves on the forest, for 
from where they sat the whole side was a ridge of foam, 
while the tree-tops were waving to and fro and undulating 
like a verdant sea as the water rushed on among their 
trunks. 

“ Can’t get much worse than this, I think,” said Shaddy, 
as the water calmed down again to its steady swift flow ; 
“ only it’s spoiling our estate, which will be a bed of mud 
when the flood goes down.” 

“ But will it go down ? ” asked Rob excitedly. 

“ Some time, certain,” replied Shaddy. “ The rivers have 
a way in this country of wetting it all over, and I daresay it 
does good. At all events, it makes the trees grow.” 

“ Yes, but will it sweep them away? ” said Rob, looking 
round nervously. 

“ It does some, Mr. Rob, sir, as you’ve seen to-day, but I 
think we’re all right here.” 

Rob glanced at Brazier, whose face was very stern and 
pale ; and, consequent upon his weakness, he looked ghastly 
as another wave came down the river, and swept over the 
deeply inundated clearing, washing right up to the fork of the 
tree, and hissing onward through the closely-packed forest. 

Another followed, and then another, each apparently caused 
by the bursting of some dam of trees and debris of the 
shores ; but they were less than those which had preceded 
them, and an hour later the water was perfectly calm and mo- 
tionless, save in the course of the river, where it rushed on- 
ward at a rapid rate. 

“We’ve passed the worst,” said Shaddy; and after glanc- 
ing at him quickly, to see if he meant it or was only speaking 


33 2 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


to give him encouragement, Rob sat looking round at the 
Watery waste, for as far as his eyes could penetrate there was 
no sight of dry land. Everywhere the trees stood deep in 
water, that was still as the surface of a lake through which 
a swift river ran, with its course tracked by rapid and eddy, 
and dotted still with the vegetation torn out from the banks. 

As the boy turned to the great tree beside him he could 
not keep back a shudder, for the monstrous serpent was in 
restless motion, seeking for some means to escape ; and 
though there was no probability of its reaching their resting- 
place, the idea would come that if the writhing creature did 
drop from the tree, overbalancing itself in its efforts to es- 
cape, it might make a frantic struggle and reach theirs. 

As he thought this he caught sight of the guide watching 
him. 

“ What is it, my lad ? ” he whispered ; and the lad, after a 
little hesitation, confided in the old sailor, who chuckled softly. 
“ You needn’t be alarmed about that,” he said. “ If such a 
thing did happen your lion would be upon his head, in a mo- 
ment, and in a few minutes there’d be no lion and no snake, 
only the mud stirred up in the water to show which way 
they’d gone.” 

“The water is sinking, Naylor,” cried Brazier just then, 
in an excited tone. 

“ Yes, sir, but very slowly.” 

“ How long will it take to go down ? ” 

“ Days, sir. This place will not be dry for a week.” 

“ Then what about food and a place to rest ? ” 

“ We’ve got enough to last us two days with great care,” 
said the man slowly, “ and we shan’t want for water nor 
shelter from the sun. Rest we must get as we can up here, 
and thankfully too, sir, for our lives are safe. As to what’s 
to come after two days I don’t know. There is, I say, no 
knowing what may happen out here in two days.” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


333 


“No,” said Brazier sadly. “In one hour we lost our 
young companion and my first collection ; in one minute I 
was hopelessly lost ; and now this morning all my second 
collection has been swept away. As you say, Naylor, we do 
not know what a couple of days may bring forth.” 

“ No, sir,” replied the old sailor ; “ and there’s plenty of 
time yet. Every day brings its own trouble.” 

“ Yes,” said Brazier solemnly ; “ and every morning brings 
with it fresh hope.” 

“ Hope ! ” thought Rob ; “ hope, shut up here in the mid- 
dle of this waste of water — in this tree, with a little food, a 
wild beast, and that horrible serpent looking as if it is waiting 
to snatch us all away one by one. How can a fellow hope ? ” 

It was a time to think about home and the chances of 
ever getting back in safety, and Rob found it impossible to 
help wishing himself back on board the great river boat as 
the evening drew near. At last, after standing up to talk to 
the puma, which accepted his caresses as if they were com- 
forting in such a time of peril, the question arose as to how 
they would settle themselves for the night. 

“ I needn’t say one of us must keep watch,” said Brazier 
sadly, “for I suppose that no one will wish to sleep.” 

“ Couldn’t if we wanted to,” said Rob, in rather an ill-used 
tone ; and Shaddy chuckled. 

“ Oh, I don’t know, Mr. Rob, sir. Nice elevated sort o’ 
bedroom, with a good view. Plenty o’ room for swinging 
hammocks if we’d got any to swing. There, cheer up, my 
lad, — there’s worse disasters at sea ; and our worst troubles 
have come right at last.” 

Rob looked at him reproachfully, for he was thinking of 
Giovanni being snatched away from them, and then of the 
loss of the boat. 

Brazier read his face, and held out his hand, which Rob 
eagerly grasped. 


334 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ Cheer up, my lad,” said Shaddy, following suit. “One 
never knows what’s going to happen ; so let’s look at the 
best side of things. There, gen’lemen, it’s going to be a fine 
warm time, and we know it might have been a drowning 
storm like it was last night ; so that’s better for us. It will 
be very tiring, but we must change our position now and 
then, and spend the night listening to the calls in the forest 
and trying to make out what they are.” 

So as not to be left longer than they could help without 
food, they partook of a very small portion that night, and 
then settled themselves down; the puma became more 
watchful as the darkness approached, and whined and snuf- 
fled and grew uneasy. Now it was making its way from one 
bough to another, and staring hard at the tops of the trees 
away from the river ; now its attention was fixed upon the 
great coiled-up serpent, which lay with fold heaped over fold 
and its head invisible, perfectly still, and apparently sleeping 
till the flood had subsided. 

But Rob thought with horror of the darkness, and the 
possibility of the great reptile rousing up and making an 
effort to reach them, though he was fain to confess that 
unless the creature swam it was impossible. 

Then the stars began to appear and the noises of the 
forest commenced ; and, as far as Rob could make out, they 
were as loud as ever. 

“ One would have thought that nearly everything had been 
drowned,” he said in an awe-stricken whisper to his compan- 
ions. 

Brazier was silent, so after waiting for a few moments 
Shaddy replied : 

“ We’re used to floods out here, Mr. Rob, sir ; and the 
things which make noises live in the water as well as in the 
trees. I don’t suppose many of ’em get drowned in a flood 
like this. Deer and things of that sort make for higher 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


335 

ground when there’s a chance of the water rising ; the cats 
get on the trees, and the monkeys are already there, with the 
insects and birds sheltered under the big leaves ; and the 
snakes crawl up too, so that there isn’t much left to drown, 
is there ? ” 

Rob made no reply, but changed his position, for he was 
stiff and weary from sitting so long. 

“ Take care, Mr. Rob, sir, or you may slip down. No 
fear of your being swept away, but it’s as well not to get a 
wetting. Warm as it is, you might feel cold, and that would 
bring on fever.” 

I 11 take care,” said Rob quietly ; and in spite of hunger 
only half appeased, weariness, and doubt as to their future 
and the length of their imprisonment, he could not help enjoy- 
ing the beauty of the scene. For the water around was now 
one smooth mirror-like lake, save where the river rushed 
along with a peculiar hissing, rushing sound, augmented by 
a crash as some tree was dashed down and struck against 
those at the edge of the forest which rose above the water. 
In the smooth surface the stars were reflected, forming a 
second hemisphere ; but every now and then the lad saw 
something which raised his hopes, and he was after a silence 
about to speak, when Brazier began. 

“ What is it keeps making little splashes in the water, 
Naylor?” 

His voice sounded strange in the midst of the croaking, 
chirping, and crying going on, but it started conversation 
directly. 

“ I was just going to speak about it, sir, to Mr. Rob here. 
Fish — that’s what it is. They’re come up out of the deep 
holes and eddies where they lie when the river’s in flood, 
and spread all about to feed on the worms and insects which 
have been driven out by the water. If we only had the fish- 
ing-line there’d be no fear of getting a meal. Oh, there is 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


336 

no fear of that. We shall be all right till the water goes 
down, and be able to provide for the cupboard somehow.” 

“ Hush ! what’s that ? ” whispered Rob, as a terrible and 
mournful cry rang out from somewhere among the trees — a 
cry which made the puma move uneasily. 

“ Monkey,” said Shaddy. “ One of those long spider-like 
howlers. I daresay it was very pleasant to its friends — yes, 
hark : there’s another answering him.” 

“And another, and another,” whispered Rob, as cries came 
from a distance. “ But it does not sound so horrible, now 
that you know what it is.” 

Then came the peculiar trumpet-like cry of a kind of crane, 
dominating the chirping, whistling, and croaking, while the 
shrieking sounds over the open lake-like flood and beneath 
the trees grew more frequent. 

There was plenty to take their attention and help to 
counteract the tedium of the night ; but it Was a terribly 
weary time, and not passed without startling episodes. Once 
there was the loud snorting of some animal swimming from 
the river over the clearing toward the forest. It was too 
dark to make it out, but Shaddy pronounced it to be a hog- 
like tapir. At another time their attention was drawn to 
something else swimming, by the peculiar sound made b} 
the puma, which suddenly grew uneasy ; but the creature 
whatever it was, passed on toward the trees. 

Several times over Rob listened to and spoke of the splash 
ings and heavy plunges about the surface. 

“ ’Gators,” said Shaddy, without waiting to be questioned 
“ Fish ain’t allowed to have it all their own way. They came 
over the flooded land to feed, and the ’gators came afte 
them.” 

It was with a wonderful feeling of relief that Rob hearc 
Brazier say, “ Morning can’t be far distant,” and the guide’ 
reply : 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


337 

“ Daylight in less than an hour, sir. Croakers and squeak- 
ers are all going to sleep fast till darkness comes again.” 

“ Hist ! listen ! ” whispered Rob excitedly. 

“Yes, I hear it, sir. Something moving towards us.” 

“ What is it ? ” 

“ Don’t know, sir. May be a deer. If it is, so much the 
better for us, even if it has to be eaten raw. But it’s more 
likely some kind of cat making for the trees. Hark at your 
lion there ; he’s getting uneasy. Mate coming to keep him 
company, perhaps.” 

They could see the reflections of the stars blurred by the 
movements of the swimming animal, and that it was going on 
past them ; but it was too dark for them to make out the 
creature, which apparently was making for the forest, but 
altered its course and began to swim for the tree where the 
party had taken refuge. 

“ Oh, come : that will not do,” cried Shaddy; “ we’re full 
here. That’s right : drive him away.” 

This last was to the puma, which suddenly sprang up with 
an angry snarl, and stood, dimly seen against the stars, with 
its back arched, tail curved, and teeth bared, uttering fiercely 
savage sounds at the swimming creature approaching. 

“ Some kind of cat,” said Shaddy in a low voice. “ Can’t 
be a mate, or it would be more friendly. Hi ! look out,” 
he said sharply, his voice full of the excitement he felt. 
“ It’s a tiger as sure as I am here. Out with your knives : 
we mustn’t let him get into the tree. No, no, Mr. Brazier; 
you’re too weak yet. I’ll tackle him. There’s plenty of 
room in the other trees. W'e can’t have the savage brute 
here.” 

As the man spoke, he whipped out and opened his keen- 
bladed Spanish knife, and, getting flat down on his chest, to 
have his arms at liberty, he reached out the point of his knife 
like a bayonet. 


22 


33 8 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“Take care, Shaddy,” cried Rob hoarsely, as, knife in 
hand and holding on by the nearest bough, he peered for- 
ward too. 

“ Trust me, sir. Perhaps if I can get first dig at him 
before he claws me, he may sheer off. Ah, mind, sir ! you’ll 
have me off. Oh ! it’s you, is it ? ” 

The first was a fierce shout of warning, but the second was 
in a tone of satisfaction. 

“ 1 thought it was you come down on my back,” growled 
Shaddy ; “ but this is as it should be. You never know who’s 
going to help you at a pinch.” 

For without warning the puma had silently made one 
bound from its perch, and alighted upon the flattish surface 
presented by the old sailor’s back. Then planting itself with 
outstretched paws firmly on his shoulders, and lowering its 
head, it opened its jaws and uttered a savage yell, which was 
answered from the golden-spangled water where the new- 
comer was swimming. 

“ It is a tiger, and no mistake,” said Shaddy in a low 
voice ; “ and we’d better let our lion do the fighting, so long 
as they don’t claw me. Mind, old fellow! That’s right. 
I’ve got fast hold now.” 

As he was speaking he took a firm grip of a bough by his 
side, and with breathless suspense Rob and Brazier waited 
for the next phase in the exciting episode, for they were in 
momentary expectation of the jaguar, if such it was, reaching 
the tree, climbing up, and a fierce battle between the two 
savage creatures ensuing, with a result fatal to their com- 
panion, unless in the darkness, while they were engaged in 
a deadly struggle, he could contrive to direct a fatal blow at 
the bigger and fiercer beast. 

They could now dimly make out its shape as it swam to 
and fro, hesitating about coming up ; for the puma, generally 
so quiet, gentle and docile, had now suddenly become a 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


339 

furious snarling and hissing creature, with its ears flat to its 
head and paw raised ready to strike. 

“ I don’t know what’s going to happen next,” said Shaddy 
in a low voice, “ for this is something new to me. I did 
think I’d gone through pretty well everything ; but being made 
into a platform for a lion and a tiger to fight out a battle’s 
quite fresh. Suppose you gentlemen get your knives out 
over my head, so as to try and guard it a bit. Never mind 
the lion ; he won’t touch you while that thing’s in front of 
him. He can’t think of anything else. I can’t do anything 
but hold on. That’s right, messmate,” he cried, as the puma 
made a stroke downward with one paw. ‘‘You’ll do the 
business better than I shall.” 

“ It will be light soon,” whispered Brazier, as he leaned 
forward as far as he could, knife in hand. 

“ Look out, gentlemen ; he’s going to land now ! ” 

For the jaguar made a dash forward, after drawing back a 
bit, and came close up, so that they could see the gleaming 
of its eyes in its flattened, cruel-looking head. 

The puma struck at it again with a savage yell, but it was 
beyond the reach of its powerful paw, and the jaguar swam 
to and fro again in front of their defender, evidently feeling 
itself at a disadvantage and warily waiting for an opportunity 
to climb upon the tree. 

This, however, it could not find, and it continued its tactics, 
swimming as easily and well as an eastern tiger of the Straits, 
while the puma shifted its position from time to time on 
Shaddy’s back, making that gentleman grunt softly : 

“ That’s right : never mind me, messmate. Glad you’ve got 
so much confidence in me. Keep him off, and give him one 
of those licks on the side of the head if he does come within 
reach. You’ll be too much for him, of course. Steady ! ” 

By this time Rob had shifted his position, and was crawl- 


340 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


ing down on the other side of the puma, ready to make a 
thrust with his knife. 

And still the jaguar did not come on, but swam warily to 
and fro, as a faint light began to dawn upon the strange 
scene ; and the change came rapidly, till there before them 
was the fierce creature, which paused at last and seemed to 
floa£ out slowly, raising its paws, while its long tail waved 
softly behind it on the surface of the water like a snake. 

“ Now,” cried Rob, “ he’s going to spring.” 

He was quite right, for the jaguar gathered itself together, 
and made a dash which shot it forward ; but there was water 
beneath its powerful hindquarters instead of solid earth, and 
instead of its alighting from its bound right upon the puma 
it only forced itself within reach of the tawny animal’s claws, 
which struck at it right and left with the rapidity of lightning 
on either side of its neck, and drove it under water. 

It rose to the surface to utter a deafening roar, which was 
answered with savage defiance by the puma from its post of 
vantage upon Shaddy; but the jaguar was satisfied of its 
powerless position, and turned and slowly swam toward the 
huge tree upon their left. 

“ Why, it’s going to climb up there by the serpent ! ” cried 
Rob, in a voice husky with excitement. 

At that moment the puma leaped from Shaddy’s back up 
one of the great branches nearest to the next tree, whence 
he poured down a fierce torrent of feline defiance upon his 
more powerful enemy ; while Shaddy rose and shook himself 
just as the rising sun sent a glow of light in the heavens, and 
illuminated the savage drama commencing in the neighboring 
tree. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


341 


CHAPTER XXXII. 

“out of the frying-pan into the fire.” 

For all at once, as the jaguar reached the huge trunk, and 
rapidly clawed its way to the fork, bleeding from both sides 
of its head, the serpent awoke to the presence of the in- 
truder ; its scaly folds glistened and flashed in the morning 
light, as it quivered in every nerve and coiled itself fold over 
fold, and the head rose up, the neck assumed a graceful, 
swan-like bend, and the jaws were distended, displaying its 
menacing sets of teeth, ready to be launched forward and 
fixed with deadly tenacity in an enemy’s throat. 

“ I m thinking that we’re going to get rid of an unpleasant 
neighbor,” said Shaddy, slowly as the jaguar, reaching the 
fork of the trunk, seemed for a moment to be about to spring 
upon its fellow-prisoner in the tree, and then bounded to a 
great bough and ran up three or four yards. Here it was 
right above the serpent, with the large bough between them, 
round which it peered down at its enemy, as it crouched 
so closely to the rugged bark that it looked like some huge 
excrescence. 

The serpent shrank back a little, lowering its head, but 
keeping it playing about menacingly, as its eyes glittered in 
the sunlight. 

Then there was a pause, during which the puma crouched 
down above Rob’s head, uttering from time to time a low 
growl, as it watched the jaguar, which began passing its paws 
alternately over its wounded head and licking them, exactly 
as a cat would have done on a rug before the fire. 


342 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ Doesn’t look like a fight now,” whispered Rob. 

“ Not just now, sir ; he has hauled off to repair damages, 
and he wants all his strength and lissomeness to tackle a 
great worm like that. Wait a bit, and you’ll see.” 

As he waited, Rob climbed up to where he could reach the 
puma, hesitating a little before he attempted to touch it, for 
the animal’s fur was erect, and it was growling and lashing 
its tail angrily. 

But at the sound of the boy’s voice it responded by giv- 
ing a low whimpering cry, turned to him, and gave its head 
a roll, as if in answer to a friendly rub. 

“That’s right,” said Rob gently; “you’re good friends 
with me, aren’t you ? ” and he patted and rubbed the beauti- 
ful creature’s head, while it let it lay on the branch, and 
blinked and purred. 

All of a sudden, though, it raised its head excitedly, and 
Rob could feel the nerves and muscles quivering beneath its 
soft, loose skin. 

Just at the same moment, too, Brazier and Shaddy uttered 
warning cries to the lad to look out, for the war had recom- 
menced in the next tree, the jaguar having ceased to pass its 
paws over its head, and assumed a crouching position, with 
its powerful hind legs drawn beneath it and its sinewy loins 
contracted, as if preparing to make a spring. 

The serpent had noticed the movement, and it too had 
prepared itself for the fray by assuming as safe a position for 
defence and menace as the limited space would allow. 

Then came another pause^ with the jaguar crouching, its 
spine all in a quiver, and a peculiar fidgeting, scratching 
movement visible about its hind claws, while the serpent 
watched it with glittering eyes, its drawn-back head rising 
and falling slightly with the motion of its undulating form. 

“ Do you think the jaguar will attack it, Naylor ? ” whis- 
pered Brazier, 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


343 


“ Yes, sir ; they’re nasty spiteful creatures, and can’t bear 
to see anything enjoying itself. There’s room in the tree for 
both of them, and you’d think that with the flood underneath 
they’d be content to wait there in peace till it was gone. 
But if the snake would the tiger won’t let him : he’s waiting 
for a chance to take him unawares, and so not get caught in 
his coils, but I don’t think he’ll get that this time. My word ! 
look at that ! ” 

For as he was speaking the jaguar seemed to be shot 
from the bough to strike the serpent on the side of the head, 
which it seized just at the thinnest part of the neck, and held 
on, tearing the while so fiercely with its hind claws that the 
reptile’s throat was in a few moments all in ribbons which 
streamed with blood. The weight of the jaguar, too, bore 
down the serpent, in spite of its enormous strength, and it 
appeared as if victory was certain for the quadruped ; but even 
as Rob thought this, and rejoiced at the destruction of so 
repellent a monster, the serpent’s folds moved rapidly, as if 
it were writhing its last in agony, and the next instant those 
who watched the struggle saw that the jaguar, in spite of its 
activity, was enveloped in the terrible embrace. There was 
a strange crushing sound, a yell that made Rob’s fingers go 
towards his ears, and then a rapid movement, and the water 
was thrown over where they sat. 

For the tree was vacant, and beneath it the flood was be-, 
ing churned up in a curious way, which indicated that the 
struggle was going on beneath the surface. Then a fold of 
the serpent rose for a moment or two, disappeared, and was; 
followed by the creature’s tail. This latter darted out for an 
instant, quivered in the air, and then was snatched back,, 
making the water hiss. 

For the next five minutes the little party in the tree $at 
watching the water where they had last $een it disturbed ; 
but. it had gradually settled down again, and, for aught they 



“ The weight of the jaguar bore down the serpent 





THE GRAND CHACO. 


345 

could tell to the contrary, their two enemies had died in each 
other’s embrace. 

But this was not so; for all at once Shaddy uttered an 
ejaculation, and pointed along the edge of the submerged 
trees, to where something was swimming slowly in the bright 
morning’s light. 

It was right where the beams of the freshly risen sun 
gilded the rippling water, sending forth such flashes of light 
that it was hard to distinguish what it was. But directly 
after, there before them, swimming slowly and laboriously, 
in undulatory motion, was the serpent, which they watched 
till it passed in among the branches of the submerged trees 
and disappeared. 

“ Then the tiger was killed ? ” cried Rob, excitedly. 

“ Yes, sir ; I thought it was all over with him when the 
snake made those half hitches about his corpus and I heard 
his bones crack. Ah ! it’s wonderful what power those long 
serpentiny creatures have. Why I’ve known an eel at home, 
when I was a boy, twist itself up in a regular knot that was 
as hard and close as could be, and that strong it was aston- 
ishing.” 

“ But surely that serpent can’t live ? ” said Brazier. 

“ It’s sartain, sir, that the tiger can’t,” replied the old 
sailor. “ You see, besides his having that nip, he was kept 
underneath long enough to drown him and all his relations. 
As to the sarpent — oh yes, he may live. It’s wonderful what 
a good doctor Nature is. I’ve seen animals, so torn about 
that you’d think they must die, get well by giving themselves 
a good lick now and then, and twisting up and going 
to sleep. Savages, too, after being badly wounded, get well 
at a wonderful rate out here without a doctor. But now let’s 
see what the river’s doing.” 

He bent down and examined the trunk of the tree, and 
came to the conclusion that the flood was about stationary ; 


346 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


and as all danger of its rising seemed to be at an end, 
Shaddy set to work with his knife, lopping off branches, and 
cutting boughs to act as poles to lay across and across in 
the fork of the tree, upon which he laid an abundance of 
the smaller stuff, and by degrees formed a fairly level 
platform, upon which he persuaded Brazier and Rob to lie 
down. 

“ I’ll keep watch,” he said, “ and as soon as you are 
rested I’ll have my spell below.” 

They were so utterly wearied out that they gladly fell in 
with the old sailor’s plan, and dropped off almost as soon as 
they had stretched themselves upon the boughs. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


347 


CHAPTER XXXIII. 

REALITY OR A DREAM? 

It was evening when Rob awoke, and found the guide 
waiting as he had left him when he lay down. 

“ Only gone down about an inch, Mr. Rob, sir,” he said. 
“ Feel as if you could do your spell at the watch now? ” 

“ Of course. But, Shaddy, I’m terribly hungry.” 

“ So am I, sir. To-morrow morning we must see if we 
can’t do something to catch some fish.” 

“ Why not to-night ? ” 

Shaddy shook his head, lay down, and in a moment or 
two was breathing heavily in a deep sleep. 

“ I can’t watch all night without food,” thought Rob, as 
he looked round at the waste and wondered how soon the 
flood would go down. He knew what food there was, and 
how it would have to be served, and longed for his share ; 
but felt that without the others were present he could not 
take his portion, though how he would be able to wait till 
morning was more than he felt able to tell. 

He looked up at the puma, to see that it had carefully 
lodged itself on the upper fork, and was asleep. So was Mr. 
Brazier. Only he was awake and hungry. Yes, Brazier was, 
too, for he woke about then with a start, to question Rob 
about the advance of time, and their position ; ending, as he 
heard that the flood had hardly sunk at all, by saying that 
they would be compelled to watch fasting that, flight, sq> 
a§ tQ make the provisions last longer, 


348 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


Rob gave him an agonized look, and plucking a twig, 
began to pick off the leaves to chew them. 

“ I don’t feel as if I could wait till to-morrow,” he said, 
faintly. 

“ It is a case of must” said Brazier. “ Come, try a little 
fortitude, my lad.” 

“ But a little fortitude will not do,” said Rob, drily. “ It 
seems to me that we shall want so much of it.” 

“ You know our position, Rob. There, lad ; let’s be trust- 
ful, and try and hope. We may not have to wait longer than 
to-morrow for the subsiding of the flood.” 

How that night passed neither of them knew, but at last 
the sun rose to show that the waters, which had seemed to 
be alive with preying creatures, had sunk so that they could 
not be above four feet in depth ; and just as they had con- 
cluded that this was the case Shaddy sprang up, and sat 
staring at them. 

“ Why ! — what ? — Have I slept all night ? ” he cried. “ Oh, 
Mr. Rob ! ” 

“ We both felt that you must have rest, Naylor,” said 
Brazier quietly. 

“ That’s very good of you, sir ; but you should have been 
fairer to yourselves. Did you ? ” 

He stopped short. 

“ Hear anything in the night ? ” asked Rob. 

“ Well, no, sir. I was going to say something else, only I 
was ’most ashamed.” 

“ Never mind : say it,” said Brazier. 

“ I was going to ask if you had left me a little scrap of the 
prog.” 

Rob looked at him sharply and then at Brazier, who did 
the same, but neither of them replied ; and the old sailor put 
his own interpretation upon their silence. 

“All right, gentlemen,” he said; “you must have botl 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


349 

been terrible hungry. Don’t say anything about it. Now, 
how could I manage to catch a fish ? ” 

“ After breakfast, Shaddy, please,” said Rob, merrily. 
“ Mr. Brazier thought we ought to wait for you.” 

“ What ! Y don’t mean to say you haven’t had any ?” 

“ When three people are situated as we are, Naylor, 
a fair division of the food is necessary. Get it at once.” 

“ Well ! ” ejaculated the old sailor, as he took down the 
packet from where he had secured it in the upper branches ; 
and again, as he placed it on the loose platform, “ Well ! ” 
Then — “ There, gentlemen, I can’t tell you how thankful I 
am to you for being such true comrades. But there, let’s 
eat now. The famine’s over, and I mean to have some more 
food soon.” 

“ How, Shaddy ? ” said Rob, with his mouth full ; “ you 
can’t wade because of the reptiles, and the piranas would 
attack you.” 

“ No, sir, I can’t wade unless I could make stilts, and I 
can’t do that. It will be a climb for fruit, like the monkeys, 
for luncheon if the water doesn’t go down.” 

To the despair of all, the day passed on till it was getting 
late in the afternoon, and still the water spread around them 
right into the forest ; but it was literally alive with fish 
which they could not see their way to catch. 

Rob and Shaddy set to work making a fishing-line. A 
piece of the toughest wood they could find \vas fashioned 
into a tiny skewer sharpened at both ends and thrust into 
a piece of fruit taken from high up the tree, where Rob 
climbed, but soon had to come back on account of the puma 
following him. 

Then they angled, with plenty of fish swarming about the 
tree, as they could see from the movement of the muddy 
water ; but so sure as one took the bait there was a short 
struggle, and either the line broke or the apology for a hook 


35 ° 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


gave way, till first one and then the other gave up in sheer 
despair, and sat looking disconsolate, till Shaddy’s count- 
enance expanded into a broad grin. 

“ I don’t see anything to laugh at,” said Rob. “ Here we 
have only a few scraps to save for to-morrow, and you treat 
it all as if it were a matter of no consequence.” 

“ Warn’t laughing at that, Mr. Rob. I was only thinking 
of the fox and the grapes, for I had just said to myself the 
fish ain’t worth ketching, just as the fox said the grapes 
were sour.” 

“ But unless the waters go down ours is a very serious 
position,” said Brazier. 

“ Very, sir. And as to that bit of food, strikes me that it 
will be good for nothing soon ; so I say let’s wait till last 
thing to-night, and then finish it.” 

“ And what about to-morrow ? ” said Rob gloomily. 

“ Let to-morrow take care of itself, sir. Plenty of things 
may happen to-morrow. May be quite dry. If not, we 
must kill the puma and eat it.” 

“ What ! ” cried Rob in horror. 

“ Better than killing one of ourselves, sir,” said the man 
grimly. “We must have something to eat, and we can’t 
live on wood and water.” 

The result was that they finished the last scrap of food 
after Shaddy had spent the evening vainly looking out for 
the carcass of some drowned animal. Then night came 
once more, and all lay down to sleep, but only to have a 
disturbed night through the uneasy wanderings of the 
hungry puma, which kept climbing from branch to branch 
uttering a low, muttering cry. Sometimes it curled up 
beside Rob and seemed to sleep, but it soon rose again 
and crawled down the most pendent branch till it could 
thrust its muzzle close to the surface of the water and quench 
its thirst. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


35 1 

“ We shall have to shove it off to swim ashore,” said 
Shaddy the next morning. 

“ Why ? ” cried Rob. “ The fish and alligators would 
attack it.” 

“ Can’t help it, sir,” replied the old sailor. “ Better eat 
him than he should eat us.” 

“Why, you don’t think ” began Rob. 

“ Yes, I do, sir. Wild beasts of his kind eat enough at 
one meal to last ’em a long time ; but when they get hungry 
they grow very savage, and he may turn upon us at any 
time now.” 

Rob looked at the puma anxiously, and approached it 
later on in the day, to find the animal more gentle than 
ever ; though it snarled and ruffled up the hair of its back 
and neck whenever there was the slightest advance made 
by either of the others. 

That day passed slowly by — hot, dreamy, and with the 
water keeping exactly to the same depth, so that they were 
hopelessly prisoned still on their tree. They tried again to 
capture a fish, but in vain ; and once more the night fell, 
with the sounds made by bird, insect, and reptile more weird 
and strange to them than ever. 

Rob dropped asleep from time to time, to dream of rich 
banquets and delicious fruits, but woke to hear the croaking 
and whistling of the different creatures of the forest, and sit 
up on the pile of boughs listening to the splash of the various 
creatures in the water, till day came once more, to find them 
all gaunt, wild-eyed, and despairing. 

“We must try and wade to shore, and chance the 
creatures in the water,” said Brazier hoarsely, for, on account 
of his weakness, he seemed to suffer more than the others. 

“ Where’s shore, sir ? ” said Shaddy gruffly. 

“Well, the nearest point, then.” 

“ There ain’t no nearest point, sir,” said the man. “ Even 


35 2 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


if we could escape the things swarming in the muddy water, 
we could not wade through the forest. It’s bad enough 
when it’s hard ; now it’s all water no man could get through 
the trees. Besides, the land may be a hundred miles 
away.” 

“ What can we do, then ? ” cried Rob in desperation. 

“ Only one thing, sir : wait till the water goes down.” 

“ But we may be dead before then — dead of this terrible 
torture of hunger.” 

K Please God not, sir,” said the old sailor piously: and 
they sat or lay now in their terrible and yet beautiful 
prison. 

From time to time Shaddy reached out from a convenient 
branch, and dipped one of Rob’s vessels full of the thick 
water, and when it had been allowed to settle they quenched 
their burning thirst ; but the pangs of hunger only increased 
and a deadly weakness began to attack their limbs, making 
the least movement painful. 

For the most part those hours of their imprisonment grew 
dreamy and strange to Rob, who slept a good deal ; but he 
was roused up by one incident. The puma had grown 
more and more uneasy, walking about the tree wherever it 
could get the boughs to bear it, till all at once, after lying 
as if asleep, it suddenly rose up, leaped from bough to 
bough, till it was by the forest, where they saw it gather 
itself up and spring away, evidently trying to reach the 
extreme boughs of the next tree ; but it fell with a tremen- 
dous splash into the water, and the growth between prevented 
them seeing what followed. 

Rob uttered a sigh, for it was as if they had been forsaken 
by a friend ; and Shaddy muttered something about “ ought 
not to have let it go.” 

They seemed to be very near the end. 

Then there was a strange, misty, dreamy time, from 


THE GRAND CHACO. 353 

which Rob was awakened by Shaddy shaking his shoulder. 

“ Rouse up, my lad,” he said huskily. 

“ No > no : let m e sleep,” sighed Rob. “ Don’t— don’t ! ” 

“ Rouse up, boy, I tell ye,” cried the old sailor fiercely. 

Here s help coming, or I’m dreaming and off my head. 
Now; sit up and listen. What’s that?” 

Rob struggled feebly into a sitting position, and fancied 
he could hear a sound. There was moonshine on the 
smooth water, and the trees cast a thick shade; but he 
closed, his eyes again, and began to lower himself down to 
drop into the sleep from which there would be no waking 
here. 

“Ask— Mr. Brazier— to look,” he muttered feebly, and 
closed his heavy eyes. 

No, no : you, cried Shaddy, who was kneeling beside 
him, “ He’s asleep, like. He can’t move. Rouse up, lad, 
for the sake of home and all you love. I’m nearly beat out, 
but your young ears can listen yet, and your eyes see. 
There’s help coming, I tell you.” 

“ Hel P ? ” cried R ob making a snatch at his companion’s 
arm. 

“ Yes, or else I’m dreaming it, boy. I’m off my head, and 
it’s all ’mazed and thick. That’s right, listen. Hold up by 
me. Now, then, what’s that black speck away yonder, like 
a bit o’ cloud ? and what’s that noise ? ” 

“ Oars,” said Rob huskily, as he gave a kind of gasp. 

“ What ? ” 

Oars and a boat,” cried the boy, his words coming 
with a strange catching of the breath. 

“ Hurray ! It is— it is,” cried Shaddy ; and collecting all 
his remaining strength, he uttered a hoarse hail, which was 
supplemented by a faint harsh cry from Rob, as he fell back 
senseless in their rough nest of boughs in the fork of that 
prison tr^e. 


2 3 


354 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


CHAPTER XXXIV. 

ALL FOR THE BEST. 

Shaddy had preceded him, and neither of them heard the 
regular beat of oars and the faint splashing of water as four 
rowers, urged on by one in the stern, forced their way toward 
the spot from whence the hail had come, till the boat went 
crashing among the drooping boughs, was secured to the huge 
trunk, and after water and a little sopped bread had been 
administered, the three sufferers were carefully lowered down 
and laid under the shed-like awning. 

Three weary days of delirium ensued before the first of the 
sufferers unclosed his eyes, illumined by the light of reason, 
and had the bright semicircle of light facing him eclipsed for 
the moment by a slight figure which crept in beneath the 
awning to give him food. 

And then two more days elapsed before Rob could say 
feebly, — 

“ Tell me, Joe, have I been asleep and dreaming? ” 

“ 1 ho P e so,” said the young Italian, pressing his hand. 

“ Then you are not dead ? ” » 

Do I look like it ? No ; but I thought you were. Why, 
Rob, old chap, we only got back to you just in time.” 

“ But I thought — we thought that ” 

Rob ceased speaking, and Giovanni, who looked brown, 
strong, and well, finished his companion’s sentence after turn- 
ing to where the two famine-pinched feeble men lay listening 
for an explanation of the events of the past. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


* 355 


“You thought I had been drowned, and that the men had 
carried off the boat while you were all looking for me ? ” 

Rob’s eyes said, “ Yes,” as plainly as eyes could speak. 

“ Of course you would,” said Joe, laughing merrily. “ You 
couldn’t help thinking so ; but I wasn’t drowned, and the men 
didn’t steal the boat. What say, Shaddy ? ” 

For there was a husky whisper from where the old sailor 
lay — a ghost of his former self. 

“ Say,” whispered the old sailor sourly, “ that we can see 
all that.” 

“Tell us how it was,” said Rob, holding out his hand, 
which Joe grasped and held, but he did not speak for a few 
minutes on account of a choking sensation in his breast as 
the sun glanced in through the ends of the awning, after 
streaming down like a silver shower through the leaves of the 
huge tree beneath which the boat was moored, while the swift 
river, once more back within its bounds, rippled and sang, 
and played against the sides. 

“ The men told me,” said Joe at last, with a slight Italian 
accent in the words, now that he was moved by his emotion 
— “ they told me all about what horror and agony you showed 
as you all went off to rescue me, while there I was perched 
up in the branches of the great tree, expecting every moment 
that it would be rolled over by the river, unless I could creep 
up to the next bough and the next, all wet and muddy as they 
were, and I knew that I could not keep on long at that. But 
all at once, to my horror, we began to glide down — oh, so 
swiftly, but even then I felt hopeful, for the tree did not turn, 
and I was far above the water as we went on swifter and 
swifter, till all at once I caught sight of the boat, moored some 
distance onward, with the four men in it sitting with their 
backs to me. I made up my mind to leap into the water and 
swim to them, but the next minute I knew that it would be 
impossible, and that the branches would stop me, entangle 


THE GRAND CHACO . 


35 ^ ' 

me, and that I should be drowned. Then the tree began to 
go faster and drift out toward the middle, but it was caught 
by an eddy and swept in again toward the shore, so that I 
felt I should be carried near to the boat, and I shouted 
to them then to throw me a rope.” 

“ No good to try and throw a rope,” growled Shaddy 
faintly. 

“ Go on, my lad,” whispered Brazier, for Joe had stopped. 

“ They saw me for the first time, and gave a shout, but 
they all stood up directly, horrified, for the fierce stream now 
bore me swiftly on right down upon them, and before we 
could all realize it the boughs were under and over the boat, 
and it was carried away from where it was moored. And 
there it was just beneath me, with the boughs going more and 
more over and under it, and our speed increasing till I began 
to wonder whether we should roll right over and force it down, 
or the lower boughs lift and raise it right up. Then there 
was another thing to consider — whether I ought to try and 
drop down into the boat, or they ought to climb up to 
me.” 

“ Ah ! ” ejaculated Rob, heaving a long sigh and then 
breathing hard. 

“ And all this time,” continued Joe, “ we were being swept 
down the stream at a tremendous rate, too frightened to do 
anything, making up our mind one way one minute, altering 
it the next ; while, to my great delight, the tree kept in just 
the same position, which I have since supposed, must have 
been because the roots were so laden with earth and stones 
that it served as a balance to the boughs. 

“ We went on down like this for hours, expecting every 
minute would be our last, for so sure as the tree touched 
bottom or side it must have been rolled over by the swift 
current, but the water was so deep that we kept on, and, at 
last gaining courage, I lowered myself a little and got upon 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


357 

another bough, which was very near to the boat, and there I 
stood upright. 

“‘Shall I jump?’ I said, and they stood up ready to 
catch me, but I hesitated for a few moments before making 
a spring, which would take me through some thin twigs be- 
tween us. 

“ In my hurry and excitement, I jumped with all my force, 
but caught one foot against a little branch, and was jerked 
forward so violently into the boat that in their efforts to save 
me they made her give a great lurch, and she began to rock 
violently, and nearly sent two of them overboard. The next 
minute we saw that she had been driven clear of the boughs 
which held her and was floating away, but at the same mo- 
ment the branches above us began to descend slowly, for the 
tree was rolling over, the buoyancy of the boat wedged in 
among the branches having kept it stationary so long. 

“ Our position was now terribly dangerous, for the size and 
force of the boughs were sufficient, with the impetus they 
now had from being in motion, to drive us right under, an 
accident which meant death if we could not escape, but in 
their desperation the men seized the oars, and by pushing 
against the tree thrust the boat so far toward the clear water 
that we were only brushed by the outer twigs and thinnest 
parts as we were caught by the swift stream and went on 
down at a tremendous rate. 

“ It was not until night was drawing near that we thought 
of making fast to a tree at the side where we could rest for 
the time and then start back in the morning to reach you 
again as soon as we possibly could, for I knew you would be 
fancying still that I was dead, and that the men had forsaken 
you. So we had a meal, and I set the watches, meaning to 
see to the men taking their turn. Then, feeling tired out, I 
lay down for a few minutes to rest, but — I dropped asleep.” 

“ Course you did,” said Shaddy sourly. 


358 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ And when I awoke in a fright the sun was shining, the 
men were all asleep at the bottom of the boat, and we were 
spinning down the river as hard as we could go.” 

“ Sarved you all right if you’d been upset,” growled Shaddy. 
“ That would have woke some of you up.” 

“ Don’t scold me, Shaddy,” said the lad humbly. “ I 
know I ought not to have gone to sleep, but I thought I could 
trust the men.” 

“ Thought you could trust them ? ” cried the old sailor. 
“ Why, you couldn’t even trust yourself ! ” 

“ No,” said Joe humbly. 

“ Why, Mr. Brazier, the pains I’ve took to make a seaman 
of that young chap, no one knows. I only wonder as they 
weren’t all wrecked and drowned,” protested Shaddy. 

“ Let him go on, Naylor.” 

“ Ay, go on, Mr. Jovanni. If there’s anything more you 
ought to be ashamed on, speak it out and get it over. You’ll 
be better after.” 

“ Isn’t he hard upon me, Rob ? ” said Joe, smiling. 

“Yes, but it all turned out for the best,” said his compan- 
ion. 

“ I didn’t think so then,” continued Joe, “ when I began 
to find that we must have been gliding down the river fast 
all that night, and what I had begun to find out then I knew 
more and more as we tried to work our way back. We 
couldn’t pole because the water was too deep, and we had to 
work our way along by the trees, sometimes getting a little 
way up the river and then making a slip and being swept 
down again for far enough, till I gave it up in despair. The 
men worked till they could work no longer. And all the time 
you were left alone without the guns and fishing tackle and 
food, and it used to make me mad to have to use any of the 
stores ; so I made them fish all I could, and I did a little 
shooting, so that we didn’t use much.” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


359 


“ Oh, come,” said Shaddy in a more agreeable tone, 
“that’s the best thing we’ve heard you say yet, Mr. Jovanni. 
That’s where * my teaching comes out, but don’t you never 
say a word to me again about your seamanship ! ” 

“ But you are keeping him from telling us how he came 
and saved us just as he did in the nick of time, Shaddy,” said 
Rob. 

“ All right, sir, all right ! won’t say another word,” cried 
the old sailor querulously, “ only don’t let him get bragging 
no more about his seamanship and management of a crew.” 

“ I never will, Shaddy, and I hope I shall never be placed 
in such a predicament again.” 

“ How did you manage to get up the river ? ” asked Rob. 

“ Oh, that was easy enough as soon as the flood came ; we 
should never have got to you without ; but as soon as the 
land was all flooded, I found that we could get right away 
from the swift stream and keep along at a distance, poling gen- 
erally. Then we were able to take short cuts across the 
bends. We did get caught now and then and swept back a 
bit, but every day we made a good many miles, and at last 
as we were rowing steadily on over the flooded land, which 
is a good deal more open below, we neared the opening, and 
thought it was a good deal altered ; but the men said I was 
wrong. I felt sure that I was right, and had just come to the 
conclusion that you must all have been swept away and 
drowned, when I heard the hail, and you are all safe once 
more.” 


360 


THE GRAND CHACO . 


CHAPTER XXXV. 

PEACE IN THE FOREST. 

The three sufferers had no illness to fight against, and 
began to regain their normal strength very rapidly, while 
nature was hiding the destruction wrought upon the face of 
the land at a rapid rate. Tropical showers washed the mud 
left by the flood from leaf and twig, and the lower boughs, 
which had been stripped of leaves by the rushing waters, put 
forth new ones, so that in a very few days’ time not many 
traces of the flood were visible, save where banks had 
crumbled in and great gaps of broken earth stood out. 

Fully equipped once more, Brazier, as he regained his 
strength, went on adding to his collection of choice plants 
which had come back to him intact ; and as they dropped 
on and on down the river, finding clearings at pretty frequent 
intervals, greater and greater grew the natural stores of 
botanical treasures, so that the collector was more than satis- 
fied with Shaddy’s guiding. 

“ But what I want to know is how we are to get back,” 
Rob said over and over again. “ We shall never be abfe to 
pull the boat up again.” 

Shaddy chuckled. 

“Might have another big storm and a flood, Mr. Rob,” 
he said, “ and get back as Mr. Jovanni did.” 

“ But you don’t mean to go back that way ? ” 

Right, sir ! I don t. But you go on with your fishing and 
shooting and let Mr. Brazier do his vegetables up in his 
baskets. Leave the rest to me.” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


36 1 

The task was left to him, and they went on down the river 
day after day till one evening they rounded a bend, and, in 
obedience to their leader’s orders, the boat was rowed into a 
narrow stream which joined that which they had left, the 
junction being plainly marked by the distinct color of the 
waters. 

“ Going up this, Naylor ? ” asked Brazier wonderingly. 

“ Yes, sir. It’s the place I’ve been making for, and I’m 
thinking you’ll find something quite fresh along here, for it 
leads up into higher ground on and on into the mountains, 
where the trees and flowers are quite different.” 

“ Of course — yes,” said Brazier eagerly. “ Let’s go up it.” 

“ But there’s one thing to be said, sir.” 

“ What’s that ? ” 

“ We shall have to be careful.” 

“ Is the river dangerous ? ” 

“ Tidy, sir ; but we can get over that. It’s the Indians.” 

“ Indians ? ” 

“Yes, sir; some of them may be along the side, but if we 
are on the watch and take care, being well armed and a fairly 
strong party, I think they are not likely to interfere with us 
much.” 

Rob pricked up his ears at this as they began gliding up 
the stream, noting the difference directly, for it was far less 
powerful, the men having no difficulty at all in forcing the 
boat along, save here and there where they encountered a rapid, 
up which they thrust the boat with poles. 

“ Did you hear what old Shaddy said ? ” Rob whispered to 
his companion. 

“ Yes. We shall have to look out then and have our guns 
ready.” 

“ But have the Indians guns ? ” 

“ No, spears and blowpipes, through which they send 
poisoned arrows.” 


3 62 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ Ugh ! ” ejaculated Rob uneasily. 

“ Horrid things ! Shaddy has often told me about them,” 
said Joe. 

“ What has he often told you about, my lad ? ” 

The boys started, for the old sailor had approached them 
unheard. 

“ Indians’ blowpipes,” said Joe. 

“ Ah yes ; they’re not nice things, my lads. Can’t say as 
I would like to be killed by one of their arrows.” 

“ Why ? ” said Rob. “ What are they like ? ” 

“ Stop a moment, my lad, and I’ll tell you.” 

He left them to give some instructions to the men as to 
the use of their poles, but returned directly. 

“ Know what we’re doing now ? ” he said, with one of his 
dry quaint smiles on his weather-beaten face. 

“ Yes, going up this river.” 

“ Right, my lad ! But we’re going upstairs like. You’ll 
see we shall keep on rowing along smooth stretches where 
the water seems easy ; then we shall come to rapids and have 
to pole on against a swift rush of water, and every time we 
get to the top of the rapid into smooth water we shall have 
gone up one of my water steps, and so by degrees get right up 
into the mountains.” 

“ Why are we going up into the mountains? Is it to get 
back to the main river ? ” said Rob. 

“ Wait a bit, my lad, and you’ll see. Besides, Mr. 
Brazier’ll get plants up here such as he never saw before. 
But you were talking about the Indians and their blowpipes. 

I don’t mind the blowpipes ; it’s the arrows.” 

“ Poisonous ? ” 

“ Horrid, my lad. They’re only little bits of things with a 
tuft of cotton at one end and the wood at the other sharpened 
into a point, but they dip it into poison, and just before they 
shoot it out of the blowpipe they hold it nipped between the 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


363 


jaws of one of those little sharp-toothed piranis, then give it 
a bit of a twirl with their fingers, and the teeth saw it nearly 
through.” 

“ What’s the use of that ? ” asked Rob. 

“ Makes it so that the arrow breaks off and leaves the 
point in the wound. Anything don’t live very long with one 
of those points left in its skin.” 

“ Think we shall meet any Indians, Shad ? ” said Joe. 

“May be yes, my lad; may be no. You never know. 
They come and go like wild beasts — tigers, lions, and such- 
like.” 

“ Do you think my lion will follow us, Shad ? ” said Rob 
eagerly. 

“ No, my lad ; I don’t. He had a long swim before him 
to get to shore ; and it’s my belief that he would be ’tacked 
and pulled under before he had gone very far.” 

“ How horrible ! ” 

“ Yes, my lad ; seems horrid, but I don’t know. Natur’s 
very curious. If he was pulled under to be eaten it was only 
to stop him from palling other creatures down and eating 
them. That’s the way matters go on out in these forests 
where life swarms, and from top to bottom one thing’s killing 
and eating another. It’s even so with the trees, as I ve told 
you : the biggest and strongest kill the weak ’uns, and live 
upon ’em. It’s all nature’s way, my lads, and a good 
one.” 

“ Well, we don’t want the Indians to kill us, Shaddy,” said 
Rob merrily. 

“ And they shan’t, my lad, if I can help it. Perhaps we 
mayn’t see any of them, and one side of the river’s safe, and 
so we shall keep that side ; but if they come any of their non- 
sense with us they must be taught to keep to themselves with 
a charge or two of small shot. If that don’t teach them to 
leave respectable people alone they must taste larger shot. 


3 6 4 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


I don’t want to come to bullets ’cept as a last resource.” 

“ I should have liked to have found the puma again,” said 
Rob after a time. 

“ Perhaps it’s as well not, my lad,” said their guide. “ It 
was all very well, and he liked you, but some day he’d have 
grown older, and he’d have turned rusty, and there would 
have been a fight, and before he was killed you might have 
been badly clawed. Wild beasts don’t tame very well. You 
can trust dogs and cats, which are never so happy as when 
they are with human folk ; but I never knew any one who did 
very well with other things. Ah, here’s another of my 
steps ! ” 

He went to his men again, for they were rowing along a 
smooth-gliding reach, at the end of which rough water ap- 
peared, and all hands were called into requisition to help the 
boat up the long stretch of rapids, at the end of which, as 
they glided into smooth water again, Shaddy declared that 
they had mounted a good twenty feet. 

Day after day was spent in this steady journeying onward. 
The weather was glorious, and the forest on either side look- 
ing as if it had never been trod by man. So full of wonders, 
too, was it for Brazier that again and again as night closed 
in, and they moored on their right to some tree for the men 
to land and light their fire and cook, he thanked their guide 
for bringing him, as the first botanist, to a region where 
every hour he collected treasures. 

“ And some folk would sneer at the pretty things, and turn 
away because they weren’t gold, or silver, or precious stones,” 
muttered Shaddy. 

All this time almost imperceptibly they were rising and 
climbing Shaddy’s water steps, as he had called them. They 
fished and had success enough to keep their larder well stocked. 
Birds were shot, such as were excellent eating, and twice over 
Shaddy brought down iguanas, which, though looked upon 


• THE GRAND CHACO. 365 

with distrust by the travellers, were welcomed by the boat- 
men, who were loud in their praise. 

It was a dream-like existence, and wonderfully restful to 
the lads who had passed through so many troubles, while the 
boat presented an appearance, with its load of drying speci- 
mens, strongly suggestive of there being very little room for 
more. 


366 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


CHAPTER XXXVI. 

WAR. 

They had literally climbed a long rapid one morning, and 
entered a broad reach of the river which resembled a lake in 
its extent. The water here was smooth, and had a current 
that was barely perceptible, hence their progress was swift, 
and as they were rowing round a bend the question arose 
where they should halt for the midday rest, when suddenly 
an ejaculation escaped from their guide’s lips, and the men 
ceased pulling, leaving the boat to drift slowly on over the 
glowing mirror-like surface, which was as if of polished steel. 

“ What is it, Shaddy ? ” cried Rob quickly. “ Are we going 
wrong ? ” But as he spoke he caught sight of the reason for 
the sudden stoppage, for there right in front, ashore and in 
canoes, were about twenty Indians, standing up and apparently 
watching them in speechless astonishment. 

“ Indians ! ” cried Rob. 

“ Yes, my lad, and we’ve done pretty well to come all these 
hundreds of miles without hitting upon them before. Don’t 
hurry, Mr. Brazier, sir, and don’t let them think that we mind 
’em, but lay the guns ready, and the ammunition, so that we 
can give them as good as they send, and mind, if it comes to 
fighting, every one’s to lie down in the boat and keep under 
cover.” 

“ Perhaps there will be no trouble,” said Brazier quietly. 
“ They seem to be peaceable enough.” 

“ Yes, sir, seem to be, but you can’t trust ’em.” 

Just then the Indians ceased staring at the party in the 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


3 6 7 

boat, and went on with the pursuit in which they were engaged 
as the boat swept round the bend. This was shooting at 
some object in the water, apparently for practice, but in a 
peculiar way, for the lads saw the men take aim high up in the 
air, so that their arrows turned far on high and fell with light- 
ning-like rapidity upon certain shiny spots just flushed with 
the surface of the water ; and while Rob was wondering the 
guide whispered, — 

“ Shooting turtles ! They’re wonderful clever at it. If 
they fired straight, the arrows would start off. This way 
they come down, go through the rough hide, and kill the turtle.” 

Of this they had proof again and again as they rowed 
slowly on, their course taking them close to one canoe whose 
owner had gone off from near the shore to recover a turtle 
that he had shot. 

This Shaddy tried to obtain, offering something by way of 
barter, but the man bent down to his paddle with a face full 
of mistrust, and forced his light vessel toward where his com- 
panions had gathered to watch the strangers. 

“ I don’t like that,” muttered Shaddy in Rob’s hearing, and 
at the same moment Joe whispered, — 

“ They don’t mean to be friends, and we shall have to look 
out.” 

As he spoke he stretched out his hand for his gun, and 
began to examine it carefully, a proceeding that was imitated 
by the others, but in a quiet unostentatious way, so as not to 
take the attention of the Indians. 

A few moments’ counsel ended in a determination not to 
try again to make advances, by no means to halt for the mid- 
day rest, but to keep steadily on without paying any heed to 
the Indians, who followed slowly as the oars were plied, and 
at a respectful distance. 

“ How far does this smooth water go, Naylor ? ” asked 
Brazier. 


368 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ Six or seven miles, sir.” 

“ And is there a long rapid at the end ? ” 

“Yes, sir, as long as any we have passed.” 

“ Where they could take us at a disadvantage ? ” 

“Yes, sir,” said Shaddy, grimly indeed. “ If it’s to come 
to a fight, we had better have it out here in the open, where 
we can shelter ourselves in the boat.” 

“ Then you think it will come to an encounter ? ” 

“ I’m afraid so, sir, if you must have the truth.” 

“ What about your men ? ” 

“ Oh, they’ll fight for their lives if they’re driven to it, sir ; 
but the worst of it is, these sort of fellows fight in a cowardly 
way either with poisoned arrows or by shooting their arrows 
up straight in the air so that they come down upon you when 
you least expect it and can’t shelter against them.” 

“ A false alarm ! ” cried Rob joyously, for the Indians had 
all ceased paddling, and after a minute or two, as if by one 
consent, turned the heads of their canoes to the shore and 
went straight away, disappearing at last amongst the trees 
which overhung the river bank. 

Shaddy made no reply to the speaker, but, the way being 
clear, bade his men to row steadily on for another half-hour, 
when a halt was called, and refreshments served round in the 
boat, but with orders for them to be hastily eaten. 

After this the rowing was resumed till the afternoon was 
far advanced, and the end of the lake-like reach was still 
apparently far away. The broad expanse had for a long time 
past been entirely free from all signs of the Indians, and Rob 
was congratulating himself upon their escape, when Joe sud- 
denly pointed back along the broad river-lake to where a 
canoe suddenly shot round a corner ; then another came into 
view, and another, and another, till there were between thirty 
and forty visible, each bearing four or five men, and a chill of 
horror shot through Rob as he felt that this must mean war, 


THE GRAND CHACO. 369 

and that they would be helpless in the extreme if so large a 
body of men made a determined attack. 

“ I was afraid of that,” said Shaddy quietly. “ Strange as 
they can’t leave us alone.” 

“ What do you propose doing, Naylor ?” said Mr. Brazier 
eagerly. 

“ There ain’t no proposing, sir. It’s all driving to do what 
is for the best. We must face ’em.” 

“ Why not land and try and find shelter in the woods ? ” 

“ Because, sir, they’d destroy our boat and follow us and 
shoot us down like so many wild beasts. Our only hope is 
to keep on as long as we can, and if the chance comes take 
to the rapid and get on it. They mightn’t care about ventur- 
ing in their light boats. But we shall see.” 

There was a very stern look in Brazier’s countenance, a 
look that seemed to have been reflected from that of the old 
sailor, as weapons were once more examined. 

“ I don’t like fighting, boys,” he said, “but if we are driven 
to it, we must defend our lives.” 

Then turning to Shaddy, “ Can’t you depend upon your men 
to help us, Naylor?” he said. 

“ I’m going to depend upon ’em to row, sir,” said the old 
sailor sternly. “ We can kill quite enough people without 
their help. They’re the engines, sir, to take us out of danger 
while we keep the enemy at a distance.” 

Meanwhile the boat was being steadily propelled toward the 
end of the lake-like enlargement of the river, where a few low 
hills rose, showing where the rapids would be which they 
had to surmount ; but it soon became evident that the light 
canoes would be alongside before the exit from the lake 
could be reached, and Rob said so. 

“ Yes, sir, you’re quite right, unless we can scare them 
off,” said the guide, who had been busy making a rough 
barricade in the stern by piling boxes and barrels one upon 

24 


37 ° 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


another, leaving openings through which they could fire, say- 
ing, “ It isn’t strength we want so much as shelter to baulk 
their aim, for they’re terribly clever with their bows and 
arrows, Mr. Rob, sir.” 

But very little was said in those anxious minutes, with the 
little party, after their many struggles with nature, now called 
upon to prepare to face man in his savage form. 

“ Feel frightened, Joe? ” whispered Rob as the two boys 
lay together by a couple of loopholes, well sheltered beneath 
the awning. 

“ Shall you laugh at me if I say yes ? ” 

“ Not likely, when I own to it too. I say, I wish they’d 
leave us alone.” 

“ Look here, Mr. Brazier, sir,” said the old sailor just 
then, after admonishing his men to pull their best, “I’m 
going to ask you to let me manage this.” 

“ No,” said Brazier sternly ; “ I wish to avoid all the blood- 
shed possible.” 

“So do I, sir — specially ours,” said Shaddy drily; “and 
mine would be the way.” 

“ Quick, then : explain,” said Brazier as the boys listened 
eagerly. “ Make haste, for the enemy are very near.” 

“ Soon done,” said Shaddy, “only what I propose, sir: 
you folk keep me supplied with guns, and I’ll try ’em with 
gentle measures first, and rough ones after. I’m a tidy shot, 
eh, Mr. Jovanni?” 

“ Yes, excellent,” said the lad. 

“Very well, then, you shall try to stop them,” replied 
Brazier, “ but I warn you that if I am not satisfied I shall 
take the lead myself.” 

“All right, sir, but don’t you make the mistake of giving 
up and trusting these people ! That means death for all of 
us. They must be beaten off.” 

There was something very startling in Shaddy’s tones as 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


37 1 

he uttered these words, and Brazier looked at him wonder- 
ingly. 

“We shall have to come back this way, so why not retreat 
at once with the stream ? ” 

“ Because we don’t come back this way, sir ; that’s all. 
Didn’t the lads tell you ? I’m going to take you into the big 
river another way.” 

“I say, look out,” cried Rob excitedly as he saw the 



water flashing behind at the rapid dip of the Indians’ pad- 
dles and noticed the stolid look in the heavy round faces of 
the men astern, who sat ready with their bows and arrows, 
the spears of the paddlers projecting from the front. 

Almost directly after the intentions of the Indians were 
shown not to be peaceful, for a straggling flight of arrows 
came whistling through the air, several of the missiles fall- 
ing just astern, some in front, but for the most part striking 
the boat and sticking in the awning and the shelter made 
astern. 


37 2 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


“ Any one hurt ? ” shouted Shaddy sternly, and receiving 
an answer in the negative, he muttered as he thrust the 
double gun he held through an opening, — 

“ That’s because they’re on the move and we’re on the 
move. If we’d been standing still, and them too, every shot 
would have told. Look out; they’re going to fire again. 
My turn first. Pull, my lads ; don’t you mind me.” 

As the words left his lips he fired at intervals of about a 
quarter of a minute both barrels of the fowling-piece, and at 
the flash of fire, followed by smoke curling up slowly and 
hiding the boat, the Indians stopped paddling and sat watch- 
ing. 

“ That has beaten them off,” cried Rob eagerly. “ Was it 
blank cartridge, Shaddy ? ” 

“ Yes, my lad. Next’s going to be number six if they come 
on after us.” 

The men pulled hard and increased the distance between 
them and the canoes rapidly, while the travellers’ hopes 
grew high. But all of a sudden there was a yell, paddles 
splashed again, and satisfied of the harmlessness of the fire 
and smoke, the Indians took up the pursuit again. 

“Oh, very well, if you will be hurt,” said Shaddy, “it’s 
your fault, not mine,” and he thrust the barrels once more 
through the opening in the barrier of boxes. 

“ How long will it take us to reach the next rapid, Naylor ? ” 
asked Brazier excitedly. 

“ Half ’hour, sir, but we must beat ’em off before we can 
land, or they’ll stick us so full of arrows, we shall look like 
hedgehogs. Hi ! sit and lie close, every one. Look out ! 
Arrows ! ” 

But the flight was not discharged until the Indians had 
gained a good deal more ground. Then the whistling was 
heard, accompanied or followed by sharp raps, but again, in 
answer to Shaddy’s inquiry, there came a cheery “ No ! ” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


373 

“ Now then,” he said, “ let’s see what they say to us, sir, 
and how far the charge will scatter and carry.” 

As he spoke he took careful aim a little to his right and 
fired quite low, changed the position of his piece, and fired 
again a little to his left. 

The smoke hung so heavily for a minute or two that there 
was quite a screen between them, beyond which shouts, 
savage yells, and cries of pain could be heard, while upon 
rowing beyond the smoke and into full view of the fleet of 
canoes the fugitives could see that the paddling had again 
ceased, and men were standing up gesticulating, while others 
were evidently in great pain from the stinging shots. 

“ Now you know that we can bite as well as bark,” growled 
Shaddy, “ and if you’ll all take my advice you’ll go back 
home and leave us alone, because if you don’t I shall use 
buckshot, and some of you mayn’t be able to handle a paddle 
again.” 

The babble of voices sounded strange as the oars dipped 
fast, and for a time they were allowed to pursue their way 
in peace, but after a time it was seen that the wounded had 
all been transferred to certain of the canoes, and with a fierce 
yell the Indians came on again, with paddles beating and 
the water splashing ; while another flight of arrows whistled 
about them, fortunately without hurting any one. 

“ I shall have to give them a stronger dose this time,” 
said Shaddy. “ I’ll try swan shot first,” and inserting a 
couple of cartridges loaded with heavy shot, he took careful 
aim, and fired twice. 

This time there were loud shrieks mingled with the fierce, 
defiant cries, and as the smoke was left behind it was plain 
to see that there was consternation in the little fleet, and for 
some time they did not pursue. 

“ What are you two about ? ” said Shaddy suddenly as he 
caught sight of Rob and Joe busily making some preparation. 


374 


THE GRAND CHACO . 


“ Wait a minute, and you’ll see,” said Rob, and he went 
on with his task, which was the preparation of something in 
the fashion of a torpedo, for about a pound of powder had 
been transferred from their keg to a small tin canister, in 
whose lid they drove a hole, and passed through it a slow 
match, made by rubbing a strip of rag with moistened gun- 
powder, which dried up at once in the hot evening sunshine. 
At the bottom of the canister a charge of shot had been placed, 
and upon trying it in a bucket the tin floated with about an 
inch of its top out of water. 

“ Now,” said Rob when he had finished, Brazier nodding 
his head in approval — “ it’s quite calm, and when next the 
enemy comes on again I’m going to stick a wax match in the 
hold with the end touching the slow match, set light to it, and 
let it float down towards the Indians. The wax match will 
burn nearly a minute, and I want them to paddle up round it 
to see what the floating light means, and then if we’re in 
luck it will go off bang and give them a startler.” 

“ And suppose it goes off while you are lighting it, and 
gives you a startler, and sends us all to the bottom, how 
then ?” 

“ Oh, we must risk that,” said Rob coolly. 

“ I’m willing, if Mr. Brazier is,” said the old sailor quietly. 

“ Rob will be careful,” said Brazier, and they waited with 
the contrivance ready, but all hoping that Shaddy’s last shots 
had produced the desired effect. 

It was a vain hope, for once more the canoes tore on to 
make up for lost ground, and at last, when Brazier and 
Shaddy made ready to fire at the enemy, Rob gave the word 
for the men to cease rowing, and as the boat steadied he 
told Joe to light a match and lowered the canister into 
the water. 

“ Be careful, Rob,” cried Mr. Brazier. “ See that there 
is no powder loose.” 


THE GRAjyD CHACO. 


375 


“ Be quick, my lad, or they’ll be on to us.” 

Crack ! went the match, and as it blazed up it was applied 
to one stuck upright in the top of the canister. This blazed 
in turn, and the flame flickered a little and threatened to go 
out as the nearly submerged tin glided away with the stream ; 
but directly after the flame burned up steadily, and as Rob 
gave the word to row once more the dangerous contrivance 
was left behind. A minute later they had the satisfaction of 
seeing the canoes gather round the tiny light and their occu- 
pants cease rowing as they satevidently wondering what was 
the meaning of the fire burning in the midst of the water— a 
perfect novelty to them. 

“ No go ! ” said Shaddy suddenly. “ Match has gone 
out.” 

“ Burned out,” said Brazier. 

“ All the same, sir, and hasn’t started the touch-rag. Wish 
it had answered, because it was clever and would have given 
the beggars a good lesson not to meddle with respectable 
peopler Here, we shall have to fire, sir. They’re coming 
on again.” 

But they were not, for the whole fleet was gathered about 
the canister, which, unseen by the occupants of the boat, was 
emittinga sputtering little fire as the touch-rag burned slowly ; 
and the wonder of this going on from a round, silvery-looking 
object just above the surface of the water kept the ignorant 
enemy at a respectable distance. 

“ Pull, my lads,” shouted Shaddy. “ We may get into a 
better place if we reach the next rapid. 

As he spoke there was a deafening roar, a column of water 
rose in the air, and a dull concussion struck the boat, while 
a cloud of smoke hung over the group of canoes, and, lifting, 
showed half of them to be swamped, and dozens of the 
Indians swimming about trying to reach the boats which, 
floated still. 


376 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


As far as the little party could make out, no one had been 
hurt, but the consternation was terrible. No further efforts 
were made in pursuit, and for the next half-hour the boat 
was rowed on and reached the rapid before the enemy was 
seen again. 

“ Now then,” said Brazier as the rough, swift water of the 
river was once more reached, “ shall we wait to give them 
another lesson or go on ? ” 

“ Go on,” said Shaddy firmly. “ They may not follow us 
up now. Mind, I only hope that ; but we shall see.” 


THE GRAND CHACO . 


377 


CHAPTER XXXVII. 

THE LAST DAYS. 

Food was served out, the men drank eagerly of the water 
passed to them, and poling, wading, and tracking with a rope, 
the boat began to ascend the rapid, while the long lake-like 
reach was left behind, a turn or two completely hiding the 
enemy from sight ; and though twice over they heard their 
shouts and yells, the scare created by the explosion had been 
sufficient to make them give the party what Shaddy called a 
wide berth. 

“ How far have we to go up this river ? ” asked Brazier 
as the men toiled on, wading and tracking in a part that 
was one furious torrent, which threatened to swamp the 
boat. 

“ Ah, that’s what I can’t tell you, sir,” answered the old 
sailor. “ I’ve only got notions, you see.” 

“ Notions, man ? ” 

“ Yes, sir : that if we go right up to the head of this 
stream we can make a portage somewhere, and strike another, 
which will lead us down east, and so hit the Paraguay 
again.” 

Rob laughed, and the man gave him an inquiring look. 

“ Make a portage,” he said, “ and strike this stream and 
hit that ? Not very plain English, Shaddy.” 

“ Then I don’t know what is,” growled the old sailor, who 
held up his hand and listened for a few moments. “ Thought 
I heard ’em coming up after us,” he said. “ Strikes me, Mr. 
Rob, that you’d better. have another of them powder tins 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


3 7 8 

ready, so that we could contrive to let it off and startle ’em, 
if they come nigh. We’ve plenty of powder, and it’s better 
than shooting the poor wretches, who don’t know any better. 
They’re used to seeing one thing kill another, and I suppose 
they think they ought to do the same, and we can’t teach ’em 
any better.” 

It was rapidly getting dark now, but they reached the top 
of the torrent, passing again into comparatively smooth 
water, along which the boat was rowed for some distance 
before a suitable spot was found for the night’s shelter — 
a night full of anxiety, and during which careful watch was 
kept. 

But day broke without there being any sign of the enemy, 
and as soon as a hurried meal had been despatched, at 
which they had to dispense with freshly made bread and 
tea, the men, too, with their mate, a new start was made 
and another rapid ascended, after which for many miles the 
river wound, with plenty of deep water, through valley after 
valley. 

All this time they were on the alert for pursuing Indians, 
but by degrees they were able to feel confidently that they 
had journeyed beyond the territory occupied by the inimical 
people, and Brazier began his collecting once more, and the 
boys their fishing and shooting. 

“ It’s absurd, Rob,” said Brazier one evening, when the 
crisp cool air told that they must during the past week have 
attained to far above the dense forest regions. “ I could 
have filled this boat a dozen times over.” 

“ Yes,” said Rob, peering hard at the stacks of dried and 
half-dried plants around them ; “ but you have got a great 
many.” 

“ A mere nothing, boy, as compared to what there is about 
us ! Why, up here we are surrounded by quite a different 
growth of flowers and plants.” 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


379 

“ And the birds are different, too, and the insects, and fish 
specially the latter,” said Rob drily. 

“ Indeed ? I did not notice anything about the fish.” 

“ Good reason why,” said Rob, laughing merrily ; “ there 
haven’t been any to notice.” 

Two days after, when they were in quite a desolate region, 
where the trees and shrubs were thin and poor, Shaddy came 
to Mr. Brazier to announce that he and two of the men were 
going to leave them camped for a few hours, while they 
sought out the most likely course for their portage. 

“ But surely it will be impossible to work the boat along 
overland,” said Brazier. “ We shall have to go back.” 

“ To meet the Indians, sir ? No, that wouldn’t do. Per- 
haps I’m wrong, but we’re up here now where several streams 
begin, and if we can only find one, no matter how small, that 
flows to the east, we’re all right.” 

The men set off the next morning as soon as it was light, 
and the party in camp shot, collected, kept up the fire, and 
waited impatiently for the return of the little expedition, but 
waited in vain ; and at last in alarm Rob and Joe set off in 
search of them, tramping till midday and stopping to rest by 
a fount which bubbled out of the earth and flowed away. 
After resting a while they started again to tramp here and 
there for hours in the beautiful region near the camp, to 
which they returned without having seen a sign of those they 
sought. 

It must have been toward morning that Rob, who was 
keeping watch, heard distant voices, and hailing, to his great 
delight heard an answer. 

Ten minutes later the guide and his two companions 
staggered up to the fire utterly exhausted, for they had 
finished their supply of food, and were worn out with their 
exhausting tramp. 

“ Well,” said Mr, Brazier after the men had taken a good 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


38° 

long rest, “ have you found the river to which we are to take 
the boat ? ” 

“ No, sir. I’m all wrong, and we shall have to go back. 
There isn’t a stream runs toward the east anywhere near 
here.” 

“That there is,” cried Joe, “for we found one yester- 
day.” 

“ Eh ? What ? Where ? ” cried Shaddy, springing up, 
utterly forgetful of his weariness ; and following the two lads, 
who warned him that the water was of no use for a boat, the 
fount was reached, and, after a very brief examination, 
Shaddy cried, — 

“ There, I’m growing old and worn out. You two lads 
found directly what we three men, used to the country, 
couldn’t see.” 

“ But this place is of no use ! ” cried Rob. 

“ What?” 

“ There are only a few inches of water.” 

“Well, they’ll help carry the boat, won’t they? and the 
water flows our way.” 

“ But you can’t get the boat to her” 

“ Eh ? Eight of us, and not get that boat half a mile 
downhill ? Wait a bit, my lad, and you’ll see.” 

The lads did see, for after three or four days’ arduous 
labor expended in getting the boat up a long slope, she was 
guided into a great groove in the mountain side, pieces of 
wood placed beneath her, and from that hour it was not a 
question of dragging, but of holding back the little vessel, 
till the stream was struck far below its source. 

Here there was no smooth water to float her, but still, as 
Shaddy said, enough to help lift her over the shallows, with 
here and there a good stretch of deep channel, along which 
they floated merrily before there was any need for fresh 
toil. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


381 

At the end of a couple of days several tiny streams had 
increased the body of water, and soon after they had rapids 
to descend, while at the end of another day so many had 
been the additions that the little river had grown to be of 
respectable size. 

It was all steady descent now till a lake was reached, 
across which an outlet was found leading exactly in the right 
direction, Shaddy declared. The river proved to be fairly 
smooth and deep, so that the work grew very light, and the 
only one on board who bemoaned their fate was Brazier, who 
had to pass endless specimens which he could not have for 
want of room. 

“ If I’m right in my calculations, Mr. Rob, sir,” said the 
old sailor one morning after many days’ journey, “ we shall 
hit the big river before to-night, and not very far from the 
falls.” 

“ What falls ? ” asked Rob. 

“ The great cat’ract which comes down a big gorge, which 
hasn’t been explored yet, and which we might as well try if 
Mr. Brazier thinks good, for I should say there’s a deal to be 
seen in a land like that, where no man has been as I’ve ever 
heered on.” 

“I’ll ask Mr. Brazier, and hear what he says,” said 
Rob. 

The guide was right, for as evening drew near a peculiar 
dull, heavy roar came to them on the wind, and this increased 
till it was felt to be prudent to moor the boat for the night. 
The next morning the roar which had been in their ears all 
night increased, and long before noon they had glided 
imperceptibly into the great river, which here rushed along 
so impetuously that much care was necessary in the naviga- 
tion of their overladen craft. 

But the weather was calm, and the guide’s knowledge of 
the management of a boat as near perfection as could be, so 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


382 

that in due course, after three or four more halts, they rowed 
one day close up among the shipping lying off the city from 
which they had started, and here, while waiting for an 
opportunity to take passage, with the great packages of 
plants they had prepared, they found time to make short 
expeditions up the river, one of which was to the mouth of 
the swift stream which swept off west through the great veil 
of trees, and from wdiich they had struck out north and made 
quite a circuit through an unknown land. 

A month later Brazier and Rob were once more on board 
Captain Ossolo’s great orange schooner, which, deeply laden 
as it was, found room for the specimens collected amidst so 
much peril and care. 

The hours and days flew swiftly now amid rest and ease, 
use making them pay little heed to the constant ether-like 
odor of the orange cargo. Then, after checks on sand- 
banks and hindrances from pamperos, Buenos Ayres was 
touched at, then Monte Video, with its busy port. 

Here there was a long halt before a passage could be 
taken east, and Rob and Brazier had plenty of opportunity 
for studying the slaughter of cattle, salting of hides, and to 
visit the home of the biscacho, that troublesome burrower of 
the pampas and layer of traps for unwary horsemen. 

At last the vessel by which they were to return was loaded 
up, and good-bye said to the worthy Italians, father and son, 
the former being warm in his thanks for the care taken of 
his boy. 

“ What,” cried old Shaddy as he stood on the deck of the 
great vessel the day they were to sail, “ good-bye ? Not a bit 
of it, Mr. Rob, sir ? All being well, if you and Mr. Brazier 
don’t run out to try and find a way up the gorge where the 
great falls rush down, I’m coming over to the old country 
to see you. But there, you’ll be out our way again soon.” 

“ What did Naylor say ? ” asked Brazier that evening. 


THE GRAND CHACO. 


383 

“That he could take us to fresh places where you would 
find plants more worthy of your notice than those you 
found.” 

“ Ah ! Yes,” said Brazier thoughtfully as he watched the 
fading shore. “ I should like to go again in spite of all we 
suffered. As for you, Rob, I suppose you would not care to 
go again ? ” 

Not care to go again ! ” cried Rob ; and his eyes grew 
dim as he half closed them and recalled to memory the great 
rivers, the glorious trees, and the many wonders of those 
untrodden lands. “I could go back now,” he said, “and 
face all the fight again,” but even as the words left his lips 
other memories came floating through his brain, and from 
that hour his thoughts were directed eastward to his kindred 
and his native land. 


THE END. 



THE GRAND CHACO 


BY 

GEORGE MANV1LLE FENN 

AUTHOR OF 

THE WEATHERCOCK,” “ THE DINGO BOYS,” “ IN THE WILDS OF NEW 

MEXICO,” ETC. 


NEW YORK 

UNITED STATES BOOK COMPANY 

5 and 7 East Sixteenth Street 


Chicago : 266 & 268 Wabash Ave, 












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